Kuala Lumpur, Dec 04: In yet another jolt to attempts to seek extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors payoff case, a Malaysian High Court today disallowed Indian lawyers from joining local prosecutors during hearing of an appeal in the matter tomorrow.

Judge Augustine Paul ruled against a counsel on behalf of the Indian government to hold a "watching brief." Paul gave the ruling while adjourning till tomorrow hearing on the appeal by the Malaysian authorities against a lower court's decision on Monday rejecting a plea for extraditing 64-year old Quattrocchi to India to stand trial. Ruling that the two sides are expected to forward their arguments within a day, the judge said while holding that "speed should be the essence." The businessman was also directed to stay in Malaysia till the case is over.

"You are representing the government of India. Do you want to be watched. The government has entrusted the case in able hands," the judge told the deputy public prosecutor Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin when he argued that the case was not being represented by two lawyers. "There should be no watching brief," the judge said.

Paul, reviewing the case in initial arguments, ruled that Malaysian prosecutors were sufficient to represent India's interests in the courtroom.

Quattrocchi's counsel Muhammad Shafee described today's ruling by the judge as a "blow to the Indian government." Bureau Report