Author: ITGD Bureau
Publication: India Today
Date: January 4, 2011
URL: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/125511/LATEST%20HEADLINES/bofors-scam-cbi-wants-quattrocchi-case-dropped.html
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
on Tuesday pleaded for withdrawal of proceedings against Italian businessman
Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors pay-off case, saying it got no fresh instructions
from the government in the wake of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT)
order.
As proceedings began before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav, advocate
Ajay Agarwal, who has challenged the CBI's move, contended that the matter
be re-looked at in view of the ITAT's recent order.
The ITAT had on Monday said that kickbacks
of Rs 41 crore were paid to Win Chaddha and Quattrocchi in the gun deal.
Yadav asked Additional Solicitor General P.P.
Malhotra, who appeared for the CBI, whether the agency had received any fresh
instructions on the issue. Malhotra replied that no instructions had been
given and sought withdrawal of the case against 70-year-old Quattrocchi.
The ITAT order was also placed before the court.
Agarwal said that Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily had made a statement
that the government will take a fresh look on the matter in light of the ITAT
order. But Malhotra said he wasn't aware of any such statement and that the
withdrawal application was filed after looking at all aspects of the case.
The court had earlier reserved its order on CBI's plea seeking withdrawal
of criminal proceedings against Quattrocchi, the sole surviving accused in
the Bofors case.
Agarwal has maintained that the government and the CBI were trying to close
the case despite having sufficient evidence against Quattrocchi.
But justifying its closure report, the CBI
had contended that it was difficult to secure the presence of Quattrocchi
for prosecution and that all other accused were either dead or charges against
them quashed by the Delhi High Court.
