Date:14/12/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/14/stories/2002121404440100.htm

Front Page

CBI to go on appeal

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI DEC. 13. Reeling under the shock of the Malaysian High Court's rejection of the Indian request for the extradition of Ottavio Quattrocchi — Italian businessman and an accused in the Rs. 64-crore Bofors pay-off case — the Central Bureau of Investigation today said that it was "still hopeful'' of its appeal being given a fair hearing in the Malaysian Supreme Court.

Addressing a press conference at the agency's headquarters here, the CBI Director, P. C. Sharma, said the rejection of the Indian request came as a "surprise.'' "I am distressed because the verdict was pronounced without giving us a fair and complete hearing. Only our preliminary objections were heard,'' he said. The CBI had filed an appeal in the Malaysian Supreme Court which would be listed before the court on Monday.

Maintaining that neither the CBI nor the Attorney General's chambers in Malaysia had been given a "fair chance'' to present the case for Mr. Quattrocchi's extradition, Mr. Sharma said: "We were even denied the right of having a counsel which is allowed under the Malaysian Extradition Act.''

Offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal misconduct and corruption levelled against Mr. Quattrocchi were also offences under Malaysian laws, Mr. Sharma said.