ID :
58477
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 23:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58477
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CBI seeks time to decide course of action against Quattrocchi
New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) India's premier investigating
agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which asked the
Interpol to drop the name of Italian businessman Ottavio
Quattrocchi from the list of most wanted persons, Thursday
sought two months time from a court in the national capital to
decide further course of action against the Bofors payoff case
accused.
"The opinion of Attorney General of India was shared with
the Interpol and the Red Corner Notice was revoked on November
25, 2008. Now the CBI is considering various options available
to it in consultation with the Government," Additional
Solicitor General P P Malhotra submitted.
During a brief hearing before Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, Malhotra and counsel Naveen Kumar
Matta, appearing for CBI, sought two months time to file
status report in the case.
The court then inquired as to what options were left with
the prosecution in the case against 70-year-old Quattrocchi.
"There were eight accused in the case. Three are already
dead, four were acquitted by the Delhi High Court in February
2004. Various attempts to get Quattrocchi extradited to India
have failed," the ASG said, sidestepping the question put to
him.
"The matter is under the active consideration of the CBI
and the Central Government. It is submitted that it would take
about two months to enable the CBI to place the next status
report in the matter," he submitted.
Taking the contention of the CBI into account, the court
adjourned the matter for September eight.
In an attempt to convince the court that the probe agency
made all efforts to extradite Quattrocchi to India to face
charges, the CBI said that it hired best counsel and spent
huge money to get the accused back.
"It may be relevant to mention that the CBI had engaged
the best counsels and has spent huge amount to bring back
Quattrocchi," Malhotra said in an application filed in the
court.
The ASG also referred to CBI's attempt to extradite
Quattrocchi from Malaysia where he was arrested in 2002
following Red Corner Notice against him in 1997 but it could
not succeed as its request was rejected by four different
courts there.
Similar efforts were made by the CBI in 2007 when
Quattrocchi was arrested in Argentina but it again failed as
extradition request was rejected by a court there with a cost
imposed on the Government of India, he said.
Quattrocchi is the sole surviving accused in the Bofors
case after three accused -- Win Chaddha, former defence
secretary S K Bhatnagar and former Bofors Chief Martin Ardbo
-- died during the court proceedings and other four -- Hinduja
brothers Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand and Bofors
company were acquitted by the Delhi High Court in 2005.
Quattrocchi had never appeared before the court to face
charges in the Bofors payoff case despite several warrants.
PTI
agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which asked the
Interpol to drop the name of Italian businessman Ottavio
Quattrocchi from the list of most wanted persons, Thursday
sought two months time from a court in the national capital to
decide further course of action against the Bofors payoff case
accused.
"The opinion of Attorney General of India was shared with
the Interpol and the Red Corner Notice was revoked on November
25, 2008. Now the CBI is considering various options available
to it in consultation with the Government," Additional
Solicitor General P P Malhotra submitted.
During a brief hearing before Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, Malhotra and counsel Naveen Kumar
Matta, appearing for CBI, sought two months time to file
status report in the case.
The court then inquired as to what options were left with
the prosecution in the case against 70-year-old Quattrocchi.
"There were eight accused in the case. Three are already
dead, four were acquitted by the Delhi High Court in February
2004. Various attempts to get Quattrocchi extradited to India
have failed," the ASG said, sidestepping the question put to
him.
"The matter is under the active consideration of the CBI
and the Central Government. It is submitted that it would take
about two months to enable the CBI to place the next status
report in the matter," he submitted.
Taking the contention of the CBI into account, the court
adjourned the matter for September eight.
In an attempt to convince the court that the probe agency
made all efforts to extradite Quattrocchi to India to face
charges, the CBI said that it hired best counsel and spent
huge money to get the accused back.
"It may be relevant to mention that the CBI had engaged
the best counsels and has spent huge amount to bring back
Quattrocchi," Malhotra said in an application filed in the
court.
The ASG also referred to CBI's attempt to extradite
Quattrocchi from Malaysia where he was arrested in 2002
following Red Corner Notice against him in 1997 but it could
not succeed as its request was rejected by four different
courts there.
Similar efforts were made by the CBI in 2007 when
Quattrocchi was arrested in Argentina but it again failed as
extradition request was rejected by a court there with a cost
imposed on the Government of India, he said.
Quattrocchi is the sole surviving accused in the Bofors
case after three accused -- Win Chaddha, former defence
secretary S K Bhatnagar and former Bofors Chief Martin Ardbo
-- died during the court proceedings and other four -- Hinduja
brothers Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand and Bofors
company were acquitted by the Delhi High Court in 2005.
Quattrocchi had never appeared before the court to face
charges in the Bofors payoff case despite several warrants.
PTI
