M A I N   N E W S

Malaysian HC moved
Hearing on plea in Bofors case today

Kuala Lumpur, December 3
The Malaysian authorities today moved the High Court here challenging a lower court verdict rejecting a plea for the extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi to India to stand trial in the Bofors case.

The Attorney-General of Malaysia filed the application in Kuala Lumpur High Court, seeking a review of yesterday’s Sessions Court ruling as well as confiscation of Quattrocchi’s passport and reimposition of his bail.

“In our application in the High Court for review of the Sessions Court’s decision in Quattrocchi’s extradition case we have also appealed the court to reimpose the bail conditions and also to confiscate Quattrocchi’s passport,” Indian Government lawyers assisting the authorities in the case said.

High Court judge Augustin Paul will hear the case tomorrow.

According to Quattrocchi’s counsel, the Italian businessman who has been living in Malaysia for the past few years, will be present in the court during the hearing.

Sessions Court Judge Akhtar Tahir discharged Quattrocchi unconditionally, observing that the description of the offences in the requisition papers summated by the Indian Government were “insufficient, vague and ambiguous.”

CBI yesterday informed the Malaysian Attorney-General that it would ask for a review of the decision of the lower court.

A spokesman for the CBI the prosecuting agency in the Bofors case, said the appeal was also filed on the grounds that the procedure laid down was not followed before passing the order. The government or the prosecution should have been given a chance to plead their case before the court passed the orders, he added.

He said the court was clearly told that allegations against the controversial Italian businessman were specific and documentary evidence was supplied to support the charges.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court today adjourned further hearing on Hinduja brothers’ petition for quashing of the CBI charge sheet in the Bofors case against them for over three months after the Supreme Court had stayed the trial proceedings for a brief period. UNI, PTI