Solicitor-general’s credibility questioned

An advocate, who had earlier opposed the CBI move to withdraw charges against Ottavio Quattrocchi, has, in a written submission, claimed that senior government law officers handling the case had earlier defended an accused, Win Chadda, in the Bofors case.

In a submission to chief metropolitan magistrate Kaveri Baweja, advocate Ajay Agarwal questioned solicitor general Gopal Subramanium and additional solicitor-general PP Malhotra’s representations on behalf of the CBI in the Bofors case. “Since they have appeared on behalf of accused persons, propriety and professional ethics demand that people holding such high offices should have refused the brief of the Centre and the CBI in the Bofors case,” he said.Malhotra and CBI counsel NK Matta had on October 9 questioned Agarwal’s locus standi in opposing the CBI’s application to close the case against Quattrocchi.

Their argument was that “publicity and politics” should have no role to play and the petitioner was a stranger in the matter. Agarwal justified his locus standi by saying that SC had accepted his appeal against a Delhi high court verdict in the Bofors case.