Quattrocchi stands discharged in Bofors case: Antony

The government does not plan to launch any fresh probe into the Bofors gun deal and Ottavio Quattrocchi stands "discharged" as he could not be extradited even after 20 years of registration of the case, Defence Minister A K Antony said here today.
In a written reply in Lok Sabha, he said, "An application for withdrawal of court case against Ottavio Quattrocchi was filed by Public Prosecutor on October 3, 2009 in the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, who passed an order allowing withdrawal of prosecution case against Ottavio Quattrocchi."
Quattrocchi had left India on July 29-30, 1993, before CBI had any material evidence warranting his arrest, he said.

"Consequently, he (Quattrocchi) stands discharged from the case," Antony said.
He said that the measures to get Quattrocchi extradited from Malaysia and Argentina could not succeed.
"As per the information provided by CBI, the measures taken for extradition of accused Ottavio Quattrochhi from Malaysia and Argentina could not succeed even 20 years after the registration of the case," he said.
The Minister replied in the negative to a query whether the government plans to launch a fresh probe to look into the 1986 Bofors deal.
In reply to a question on extending civil contempt powers to the Armed Forces Tribunals, Antony said, "The AFT (Amendment) Bill 2012 has been introduced in Parliament which inter-alia includes the provision for grant of powers of civil contempt to the AFT.