CBI may not get much in Argentina

Even as a two-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) left on Wednesday for Buenos Aires to pursue India's case for extradition of Ottavio Quattrocchi from Argentina, there are only bleak chances that the Italian businessman, accused of receiving kickbacks in Bofors gun deal, will be brought to India soon.

CBI sources confess that on legal grounds Quattorocchi's case was no different than what was in 2003, when the NDA government had put pressure on Malaysia and got Quattrocchi arrested on a similar interpol red corner notice. He not only had managed to get his impounded passport released from the local court but also fled Malaysia a day before the CBI could present its case in the court.

It seems Malaysian government had initially put its foot down on taking action against Quattrocchi, who has flourishing business in the country and had yielded only after repeated reminders.

"This time its going to be a prolonged legal battle under the Argentinian legal system,'' CBI sources said. The agency has been offered the services of public prosecutor Carlos Guilleremo Daneri by the Argentinian government for the case that will be taken up in the Federal court in Misiones province, where Quattarochi was arrested on

February 6. In fact, the Intepol red corner notice is meant only to temporarily detain people who are wanted by other countries for prosecution. The Interpol has powers only to arrest war criminals involved in genocide, human trafficking or drug peddling.

However, according to CBI, the red corner is no licence for prolonged arrest as the person enjoys full rights to defend himself and challenge even his detention.

Given the fact that Quattrocchi runs an influential and powerful business empire in many South American and Asian countries, he is likely to engage the best lawyers and try for get his passport released at the first instance.