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CBI alerts Interpol on Quattrocchi

New Delhi, December 27
Unable to locate the whereabouts of controversial Italian businessman and an accused in the Bofors pay-off case, Mr Ottavio Quattrocchi, the CBI has approached Interpol for tracking him.

Mr Quattrocchi left Kuala Lumpur for Italy a fortnight ago after successfully fighting against a case of extradition to India.

“We have received no information about Mr Quattrocchi’s whereabouts although we have got in touch with the Malaysian authorities to verify his port of disembarkartion,” CBI Director P.C. Sharma told PTI in an interview here.

He said the agency hoped that the order of court of Appeal of Malaysia (Supreme Court) of impounding his passport has been complied with and that the authorities in Kuala Lumpur would try to find out his exact location.

Asked about media reports that Quattrocchi was in Italy, Mr Sharma said: “Well, we have also got in touch with our mission in Rome, who in turn, have contacted their counterparts in Italy to find out whether he was present there.”

Simultaneously, the CBI has also contacted Interpol headquarters based in France for help in tracking down the Italian businessman. A red corner warrant is already pending against him.

To a question about the claim of Mr Quattrocchi that he would be returning back to Malaysia “as per plans”, Mr Sharma said: “The irony is that when he left India, he said the same thing. Now when the CBI secured relief from the highest court in Malaysia, we fear that he may repeat the history.”

India went to the Court of Appeal after the high court on December 13 turned down the plea for the review of the sessions court verdict throwing out the extradition case, saying “the offences alleged to have been committed by Quattrocchi in India are open to doubt.”

Maintaining that they held the Malaysian judiciary in high esteem, the CBI Director regretted that: “We were not given a proper hearing and the case was dismissed summarily and in a prejudged manner.”

“We have given all documentary and oral evidence after it was vetted by eminent lawyers here. The Italian businessman has been charge-sheeted after which the court issued a warrant of arrest against him,” he said.

He said CBI officials had convinced Malaysian Attorney-General’s office that there was a case against Quattrocchi after which it was recommended to the Malaysian Interior Ministry that a case of extradition was made out against the Italian businessman.

“However, there is some confusion, which we intend to clear. The Malaysian courts have had to look only whether there was a dual criminality and whether prima facie, a case is made out against him,” Mr Sharma said.

The CBI Director said the extradition case against Mr Quattrocchi could not be equated with a trial. “After all, the Italian businessman has to stand trial here. It is the Indian court which will decide whether he has to be released or not.”

India, which went for appeal through the Malaysian Attorney General, had contended that the order was passed by the high court and the sessions court without the case being given a proper hearing for the extradition of Quattrocchi.

While discharging Mr Quattrocchi unconditionally, the sessions court on December 2 had ordered return of his passport. PTI