Sibal defends Govt stand on Quattrocchi

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal today said there had been no lapse on the part of the Government in the case of Ottavio Quattrocchi, main accused in the Bofors payoffs case.

He said the extradition of the Italian fugitive businessman to India was possible under the present laws in Argentina, where Quattrocchi was detained and later released, though there was no extradition treaty with that country.

The Union Science and Technology Minister told mediapersons here, ''The Government took proper steps at the earliest possbile,'' adding ''had we violated the law in any manner then there would have been a case against us.'' Deploring the Opposition bid to disrupt the proceedings of the House over the Quattrocchi issue, Mr Sibal said this was against the decorum of the House. ''We are always prepared for any discussion on the issue in the days to come.'' Stating that the Government usually receives thousands of information, Mr Sibal wondered whether it was necessary to convey and share with the people each and every piece of such information. He conceded that it was, of course, the duty of the Government to see to it that there was no violation of the law.

Mr Sibal clarified that Argentina informed India of Quattrocchi's detention on February 7 after arresting him a day earlier. The Government sought verfication of the report which was replied to by Argentina on February 8.

The Government, he said, asked what type of documents would be required in requesting for extradition and instantly got down to getting the document translated. The Government put up the matter before the people on February 23.

Mr Sibal said the CBI was supposed to file its extradition request within 30 days on March 7 and the CBI team would reach Argentina before that date. ''What is then the furore by the Opposition about,'' he asked. ''We are committed to sending the CBI team to Argentina to seek his extradition.'' When asked whether the CBI bid to get the extradition would be decided by the court of that country, the eminent lawyer said the Government had nothing to do with that. ''We will accept the verdict of the court.'' He claimed that it was the NDA Government which had messed up the Quattrocchi case in Malaysia and did not ''inform the people of India why it did so''.

UNI