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CBI announced Q capture after release

CBI announced Q capture after release

Author: Our Political Bureau New Delhi
Publication: Economic Times
Dated: February 27, 2007
URL: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Political_Theatre/CBI_announced_Q_capture_after_release_/articleshow/1694763.cms

Introduction: Opposition Set To Grill PM, Session Likely To Be First Casualty

The Government seems to be deeper in trouble over the detention of Italian middleman Ottavio Quattrocchi after news that he secured bail from an Argentine court on February 23. After a newschannel flashed reports about his release , CBI director Vijay Shanker issued a statement claiming that the agency received news about the release of the Italian middleman on Monday evening.

The government and the agency will have a lot of explaining to do as Quattrocchi secured the bail on the day the CBI issued a statement here informing about his detention at the Iguazu International Airport. "A message has been received today at 7.43 pm from Interpol Buenos Aires that Ottravio Quattrocchi has been released on bail by the federal court of Eldorado City in the province of Misiones. However, he has been prohibited from leaving Argentina. Interpol message also says that the extradition process is ongoing , awaiting extradition request through the diplomatic channel."

That the CBI was in no hurry to file an appeal for his extradition was clear when the agency head said that his team will reach Argentina only on March 2. The agency has so far been saying that its team would leave on February 28. The team will have just four days to pursue the case.

Mr Shanker said that India`s ambassador Pramathesh Rath held discussions on Monday with Argentinean foreign office in Buenos Aires on Quattrocchi.

The episode is certain to snowball into a bigger crisis for the Manmohan Singh government . Parliament's Tuesday session will be the immediate casualty. The Opposition said that it will press for an answer from the prime minister and the failure to provide a satisfactory explanation would lead to stalling of proceedings.

There were signs of discomfort within the alliance over the brazen manner in which the whole issue is being handled by the government. The Left has already asked the government to come clean on the issue and explain the delay in informing about the detention of the Italian middleman.

In the event of an electoral defeat in Punjab and Uttarakhand, the Opposition is sure to ratchet up its attack on the government. As of now the 'we-should-fight-it-out sections within the government appear to be deciding its response. But if the campaign gathers momentum, the Congress would experience major political losses.

'There was, not is, treaty with Argentina'

The Government's claims that its hands are tied over securing Ottavio Quattrocchi's custody since India does not have an extradition treaty with Argentina is being contested by the Opposition, reports Our Political Bureau from New Delhi. BJP leaders said the extradition bill passed on August 17, 1961, had listed Argentina as a country with which India has an extradition pact. The MEA contradicted this assertion of the BJP leaders saying that the treaty was not in operation: "A question has been raised about the existence of an extradition treaty between India and Argentina . An extradition treaty of 1889 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland and the Argentine Republic was applicable to British India. However, post Indian independence and following the enactment of The Extradition Act, 1962, by the Indian Parliament, the treaty of 1889 is not operative since it was not notified in accordance with Section 3, clause (3) of the Act, after having obtained the consent of the Government of the Argentine Republic. Thus India does not have any currently operative Extradition Treaty with Argentina."


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