CBI officers return from Malaysia with mere statement from Quattrocchi

The two top CBI officers sent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to secure Ottavio Quattrocchi's arrest in connection with the Bofors case returned to Delhi on Wednesday night with a mere statement issued by the controversial Italian businessman.

CBI sources said the Malaysian authorities had expressed their inability to arrest Quattrocchi immediately either on the basis of the warrant issued by a trial court in Delhi or in the light of the world-wide red corner alert issued on Monday by Interpol.

In view of this, the CBI team, led by Additional Director L Revenna Siddaiah, requested Quattrocchi to give a statement explaining his role in the nearly Rs 15 billion howitzer gun deal to which he readily agreed The CBI named the Italian businessman last week as one of the alleged recipients of the commissions.

CBI sources said the Malaysian authorities adopted a seemingly non-co-operative attitude, advancing an excuse that his arrest would not serve any purpose at this stage as India and Malaysia had not signed an extradition treaty.

The Malaysian authorities explained to the CBI team, which also includes N S Wassan, that in the absence of an extradition treaty the handing over of Quattrocchi to New Delhi could be done only through the legal route which was arduous and time-consuming.

CBI sources said though the team could not have Quattrocchi and his wife Maria -- who has also been named as an alleged recipient -- arrested immediately, Interpol's red corner alert would prevent them from leaving Malaysia.

The CBI team found substance in the Malaysian government's stand as the extradition proceedings launched against Win Chadha, another alleged recipient of the Rs 640 million kickbacks in the 1986 gun deal with the Swedish arms manufacturer, Bofors, were yet to fructify. Chadha lives in Dubai.

The arrest warrant issued against Chadha by the trial court was subsequently quashed by the Delhi high court and a special leave petition in this connection was still pending with the Supreme Court.

It could not be immediately ascertained whether the statement was recorded by the CBI team or prepared by Quattrocchi.