Bofors trail: India to approach Switzerland in Quattrocchi case

The Union Home Ministry has cleared the Letters Rogatory to be sent to Switzerland for getting to the trail of the Rs 21 crore stashed in two bank accounts in London by Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, a Bofors case accused.

After the home ministry clearance, the letters were being sent by the external affairs ministry to Switzerland through diplomatic channel.

• Bofors: The Smoking Gun

The Central Bureau of Investigation approached Switzerland formally to provide the details as the funds were transferred from Lugano in Switzerland to London's BSIAG Bank.

Though, the money which had remained frozen for more than two years following a CBI plea, was released recently after the government told the British Crown Prosecution Service that it did not have any evidence to link the money in the London bank accounts to the kickback paid in the case relating to Bofors guns purchase.

The agency had secured a Letter Rogatory in 2004 for Bahamas, which was executed in 2005. During the probe in Bahamas, CBI sleuths found the money had not been transferred from there.

The sources said that during further investigation, the CBI found the money had come from the Swiss city of Lugano and details would be sought from them.