Court to hear Bofors pay-off case tomorrow

A Delhi court is likely to hear tomorrow the Bofors payoffs case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi when CBI may come out with its course of action following the withdrawl of Interpol's Red Corner notice against him. The matter is to come up for hearing in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja.

During the brief hearing on April 30, Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra, appearing for CBI, had informed the court that the Red Corner Notice issued against Quattrocchi was withdrawn in November last year.

The ASG had also sought two months time to decide on the future course of action in the politically-sensitive case on the court's query as to what options were left with the probe agency following the withdrawl of the Red Corner notice.

The Interpol had withdrawn the Red Corner Notice against 70-year-old Quattrocchi, which was first issued against the Italian businessman in 1997, following a communication from CBI. Quattrocchi was declared a proclaimed offender as he did not appear to face trial and, as a result, charges could not be framed against him despite two chargesheets in the case.

The FIR was registered on January 22, 1990, three years after Swedish Radio on April 16, 1987, alleged AB Bofors, the makers of the 155mm howitzers, had paid kickbacks to top Indian politicians and key defence officials to secure the Rs 1,437-crore gun deal.