Warrant against Quattrocchi

NEW DELHI: The Tis Hazari court in Delhi issued a non-bailable warrant against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, the main accused in the multi-crore Bofors scam case, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is finding it increasingly difficult to get him extradited.

“It is a tricky situation and deporting him to India would be very difficult,” said a CBI official. He said since Quattrocchi is an Italian national and has been arrested in Argentina, bringing him to India is difficult.

“We have to take prior permission from the Italian government, which could take time,” said the officer, adding that it is easier to extradite someone from another country if the person is a citizen of India or holds an Indian passport.

The agency is already facing flak from all quarters because even though it knew about Quattrocchi’s detention, it did not act on time and asked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for his deportation on February 24, a day after he was released on bail in Argentina.

“We have hired a legal firm in Argentina and our officials are only going to help them in the process and explain the details of the case,” said a CBI official, adding that Indian government had paid a hefty amount to the legal firm to represent the case.

The team is expected to leave for Argentina on February 28.