Date:06/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/06/stories/2008090661291200.htm

National

CBI let Quattrocchi off the hook: petition

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: It is ex facie clear that ever since the United Progressive Alliance came to power in 2004, the Central Bureau of Investigation has been helping Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors case, go scot-free at every stage, advocate Ajay Agarwal alleged in his petition in the Supreme Court.

A Bench consisting of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam, which is hearing the petition challenging the government’s failure to get Mr. Quattrocchi extradited for trial, posted the matter for final hearing in October.

Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam denied the allegations and said the absence of a treaty between India and Argentina came in the way of extradition.

Though Mr. Quattrocchi was detained on February 6, 2007 in Argentina following a red corner notice issued by Interpol, the El Dorado court declined India’s extradition request as the original arrest order of 1997 issued by a court here was not produced by the CBI and he was granted bail on February 23. Mr. Agarwal alleged that it was a deliberate move by the CBI to free Mr. Quattrocchi.

Favours galore

In his affidavit filed in response to the order passed by a court in Argentina, a translated copy of which was provided to him by the Centre, Mr. Agarwal said: “Unfreezing of accounts in London and facilitating siphoning off of money from the frozen account; facilitating Mr. Quattrocchi’s freedom by withholding relevant documents and [Indian] court’s orders from Argentinean court are just the tip of the iceberg of the favours being bestowed by the CBI on Mr. Quattrocchi.”

Mr. Agarwal earlier moved the Supreme Curt against unfreezing of Mr. Quattrocchi’s bank account in London. He also filed a contempt petition in March 2007 against the then CBI Director Vijay Shanker, alleging that the agency consistently misled the court over the extradition proceedings. He alleged that the government had deliberately failed in getting the Italian businessman extradited. He sought a direction to the government to disclose the confidential material, including opinions of the CBI and law officers of the Centre, which allegedly facilitated the rejection of India’s extradition request.