New Delhi, Oct 12: Italy has sounded India to withdraw the Interpol's Red Corner notice against Ottavio Quattrocchi, a key accused in the Bofors pay-offs case, and hand over the evidence against him. Though Italy has given nothing in writing to this effect, informed sources said it conveyed to the Indian side during recent consultations on finalising the itinerary of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, due to visit India in the next few weeks. The Italian suggestion has come as a surprise to the Indian side as Italy is not even willing to confirm the whereabouts of Quattrocchi who had left Malaysia in December last after the CBI has failed to secure his extradition from that country. In the absence of any acknowledgement by Italians that Quattrocchi, who had lived in New Delhi for several years as the representative of an Italian company, is living in Italy, the CBI is unable to even move for his extradition from there. Therefore, Interpol has put out a red corner notice against him at the behest of CBI. When Quattorocchi was facing extradition proceedings in Malaysia, Berlusconi had spoken to his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammed who had publicly acknowledged this but maintained that he would not interfere.
Bureau Report