Quattrocchi on bail; extradition efforts on: Centre

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) The government today informed the Lok Sabha that it was seeking the extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors payoff case, with ''utmost urgency'' though he has been released on bail in Argentina.

''The government is processing the request of extradition with utmost urgency and a CBI team is scheduled to reach Buenos Aires well before the expiry of the stipulated 30 days time,'' Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachouri said in a statement.

According to information received from CBI, a message was received on February 7 from Interpol, Buenos Aires, that Quattrocchi was detained the previous day at Iguazu International Airport at Misiones Province of Argentina.

On February 7 itself Interpol, New Delhi (which is CBI) sent a message to Interpol Buenos Aires, requesting for confirmation of the veracity of its message regarding the preventive detention of Quattrocchi and sought information about the flight details of Quattrocchi -- from from where he had arrived and his destination.

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