CBI expresses ignorance about seeking Rastogi's extradition

New Delhi, Jun 8 (UNI) The CBI today expressed ignorance about the reports in a section of the media that the agency was sending a team to the US to get Narendra Rastogi extradited from there.

Narendra, along with his brothers, including influential London-based businessman Virendra, allegedly defrauded the exchequer to the tune of Rs 43 crore while exporting scrap to CIS countries.

The CBI spokesperson told UNI,''I am not aware of it. Even if the decision had been taken we couldn't have told the media.'' Reports were carried in a section of media that the CBI will now bring back the third Rastogi brother to India as his sentence in the US was near completion. The American authorities have asked their Indian counterparts to send a team for his extradition, the reports claimed.

The FBI had arrested Rastogi and three others in May 2002 for defrauding banks around the world of an estimated 600 million dollar by obtaining finance for sham transactions and then pledging them as collaterals for loans.

The US Federal agency had also sent a request to the CBI to give details about the frauds committed by him in India before he fled to the US.

When he was about to be extradited to India, the accused pleaded guilty before a New Jersey court which sentenced him to imprisonment till June 2008.

UNI SSS AE UCS1901