CBI to withdraw cases against Quattrocchhi on Saturday

New Delhi, Oct 1 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to move an application before the Magistrates Court here on Saturday to withdraw cases against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchhi in the Bofors gun purchasing scam.

The Public Prosecutor, on behalf of the CBI, will move an application before the Magistrate's Court on Saturday.

The Central Government decided to close the long hauling Bofors case, which is unable to extract anything out of the investigations by the CBI.

On Wednesday, Union Law Minister M.Veerappa Moily confirmed the government's decision of withdrawing cases against Quattrocchi in the Bofors case.

Moily, who is currently on a trip to London informed the reporters that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is pending before the Supreme Court so the Solicitor General opine that the matter should be brought to the notice of the Apex Court.

Moily noted that the CBI has been pursuing the cases everywhere.

"There is no point in pursuing this matter. There are no cases under Prevention of Corruption Act," Moily said.

"The matter was taken up before the Argentinian Court and then before the Malaysian Court. Everywhere it failed. The Argentinian Court levied heavy cost on the Government for pursuing the case after so many years as the case has been pending since 1986,"he added.

Moily also noted that the final payment for the Bofors gun was made in 1990 when the V P Singh led National Front Government was in office at the Centre.

"If they had any doubt, why did they make the final payment?" he questioned.

Moily added that "If they (the then government) wanted to recover money, they should have filed a civil case, but it is time-barred as it had to be done within three years."

He also said: "it is not a question of Quattrocchi or whoever, we are not interested in defending anybody. The question is whether any worthwhile result will come out by pursuing the case."

Moily however informed that, if there would have been any evidence to pursue, "we would not have hesitated to pursue."

Earlier, in April, the Interpol on the directions of the CBI removed the red corner notice against Quattrocchi. (ANI)