Govt has a new Quattrocchi excuse

New Delhi: The release of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Rs.64 crore Bofors kickbacks case, on bail in Argentina will not affect India’s attempt to extradite him, the Government told Parliament on Tuesday.

"We were informed on February 26 at 7.43 pm (Indian time) that Quattrocchi has been released on bail from preventive detention in Argentina, with the condition that he will not leave Argentina. This will have no bearing on the extradition proceedings being initiated by our Government," said Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachouri while placing a report before the two Houses.

The BJP and other Opposition parties shouted slogans against the government as Pachouri read from his four-page statement. Opposition members in Lok Sabha demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation and in Rajya Sabha BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and other party members tore copies of Pachouri's statement and flung it at the Chairman's podium.

"The Government is processing the request of extradition with utmost urgency and a CBI team is scheduled to reach Buenos Aires well before the expiry of the stipulated 30 days time," said Pachauri.

Pachouri said the Central Bureau of Invesitgation (CBI) had informed the Interpol on February 8 that it wanted Quattrocchi arrested and that it would send a formal request for his extradition in 30 days.

On February 12, Quattrocchi’s at Iguazu International Airport in Misiones Province of Argentina was confirmed through diplomatic channels.

The CBI wrote to the External Affairs Ministry on February 13, asking for a copy of the Argentinean Extradition Act with English translation and the list of documents to be incorporated in the extradition request.

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''As there is no extradition treaty between India and Argentina, the CBI also sought MEA's advice as to how to overcome this problem in the legal framework of Argentinian extradition law. The CBI also requested MEA to ascertain the convenience of Argentinian authorities for the visit of CBI team in this connection.''

On February 16, CBI received a communication through diplomatic channels, indicating that even though India and Argentina did not have an extradition treaty, yet India could make a request for extradition of Quattrocchi under the Argentinian law.

The CBI was also intimated that the matter was presently pending in the court of Misiones province and that the court had appointed Dr Carlos Guilleremo Daneri, Public Prosecutor, on behalf of Government of India. India would have to give an offer of reciprocity for seeking extradition of Quattrocchi.

After the preparation of extradition request, CBI held a meeting with the officers of Legal and Treaty Division of MEA on February 22 and got the draft extradition vetted.

In the Bofors case, non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against Quattrocchi on February 6, 1997 by the Court of Special Judge, Delhi. However, Delhi High Court issued orders on February 4, 2004 and May 31, 2005, quashing proceedings against public servants and certain other accused in the case.