The Hindu : New Delhi News : CBI on mission to track payments in Quattrocchi's account

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

CBI on mission to track payments in Quattrocchi's account

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 27 . A three-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has left on a four-nation trip to track down the payment made in the frozen London bank account of the Italian businessman, Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors pay-offs case.

The CBI team, led by Additional Director Vijay Shankar, will visit London, Bahamas, Washington, Switzerland and Stockholm to trace the origin of about £3 million parked in the frozen bank account of Mr. Quattrocchi. The CBI Director, U.S. Mishra, told The Hindu today that the Supreme Court in London had given three months to the agency to submit evidence that the money had indeed originated from Bofors.

The agency has time till June to carry out its probe, tie loose ends and submit the report to the court there. The account had been frozen last year by the U.K. authorities and the action upheld by the High Court and the Supreme Court.

The agency has reasons to suspect that the money was routed through the Bahamas. The team would also respond to queries from the authorities in London on the Delhi High Court judgment of February in the Bofors case, which cleared public servants of bribery charges.

The team is also carrying some Letters-Rogatory to be given to the authorities concerned or courts in different countries while seeking assistance in some pending cases. It is likely to return by May 6.

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