India withdraws case against Quattrocchi, closes Bofors scam case

After several twists and turns in the Bofors scandal that became a blot on Rajiv Gandhi's prime ministership, Indian investigators Tuesday closed the case and withdrew the charges against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, a key suspect in the Rs. 64 crore bribes allegedly given by the Swedish firm Bofors to sell Howitzer guns to Indian army in the early eighties.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium conveyed the decision to the Apex Court here. He told the bench headed by chief justice K G Balakrishanan that all efforts to extradite Quattrocchi had failed.

The CBI decision to close the case is based on the Delhi High Court judgment delivered in 2004 observing 'Not a rubble of evidence under the Prevention of Corruption Act was made out in the Bofors gun deal'. In May 2005, the court had quashed charges against all accused except the Italian businessman.

BJP Charge

Main Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the government decision.

BJP along with the Left and the Janata Dal fought and won the 1989 election on the Bofors issue.

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad, himself a leading lawyer, said what happened today had to happen because the government 'is out to bail out' Quattrochhi.

He added: 'There is a pattern in the government's action. The UPA-I decided that we will not prosecute Quattrochhi. And that continues in UPA- II'.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari rejected the charge. ' Since 1989 it ( the Bofors case) has been going on. People have been trying to milk it for propaganda', he said, adding, 'Essentially there has to be a closure'.

The present hearing in the Supreme Court is a fall out of a petition by an advocate Ajay Agrawal against the defreezing of Quattrocchi's bank account in London in January 2006. He opposed the stand of the CBI decision.

His case is that Qattrcocchi has been treated by the Congress government with kid gloves.

The Solicitor General, told the apex court that the CBI had tried to get him extradited following the Red Corner Notice issued against him but failed in its efforts. He said a call had to be taken for the closure of the case and government has taken a call after considering all aspects".

Further hearing in the case will come in the Supreme Court on December 11.

-Asian Tribune-