It is not good to harass anybody: PM on Quattrocchi case

Rejecting criticism of the decision to remove Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi from Interpol's list of wanted people, prime minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday it was "not good" to "harass" any person when the "world says we have no case".

He said the Quattrocchi case has been an "embarrassment" for the Indian government as it has failed to get him extradited from Malaysia and Argentina where courts have said "we don't have a strong case" against him.

"It is not a good reflection on the Indian legal system that we harass people while the world says we have no case," Singh told a TV news channel.

The government recently withdrew the name of Quattrocchi, who is an accused in the alleged Bofors scam, from the Red Corner Notice, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties.

The prime minister said before the matter was referred for withdrawal, Interpol had asked India why Quattrocchi was being kept under the Red Corner Notice.

Subsequently, the issue was referred to the Law Ministry which sought the opinion of the attorney general, Singh said, adding, "The AG said there is no case for keeping the Red Corner Notice. Even now the issue is before the court."