Interpol Issues Alert Notice To Nab Quattrocchi

The Interpol yesterday issued a world-wide red corner alert notice for the arrest of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, wanted by the CBI in connection with the alleged kickbacks in the Rs 1,437 crore Bofors gun deal.

CBI sources said the Interpol headquarters at Lyons in France issued alert notice for the arrest of Quattrocchi, now based in Kuala Lumpur, following a request from the Indian investigating agency.

The alert notice came even as CBI sleuths, led by its additional director, L Revannasiddaiah, continued parleys with Interpol officials at the Malaysian capital for the fourth consecutive day yesterday seeking to execute the arrest against Quattrocchi who was named as one of the five recipients of the Rs 64 crore payment in the deal. Sources said the alert notice by the Interpol, which is sent to all the countries, would pave the way for Quattrocchis immediate arrest by the Malaysian police even if there was some delay in his extradition to India due to legal formalities.

Since there was no extradition treaty between India and Malaysia, Quattrocchi would be extradited only under a court order from that country.

Meanwhile, in a related development, a special leave petition (SLP) seeking restoration of the arrest warrant against Win Chadha, the Indian agent of Swedish arms manufacturer A B Bofors, is scheduled to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on February 21, sources said.

Stating that the CBI had earlier initiated moves for extradition of Win Chadha from dubai, the sources said as a first step, the agency has requested the law ministry to take steps for early listing of the SLP before the apex court.

The CBI petition has been pending before the Supreme Court since 1993. The request to the central registry section at the law ministry had been made before the Swiss bank documents were brought to the country late last month, sources said. Win chadha has been living in Dubai since 1989.

The agency had filed its first information report (FIR) in connection with the case in a Delhi court on January 22, 1990.