A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved its order on a plea of the CBI seeking withdrawal of criminal proceedings against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors pay off case.
The judgement on Mr. Quattrocchi, the sole surviving accused in the case, would be announced on January 4 by the court, which had heard the arguments of the CBI and a lawyer who has been opposing the move to withdraw the case.
Additional Solicitor General P.P. Malhotra, during the arguments, contended continued prosecution of Mr. Quattrocchi was “unjustified” in the light of various factors including the failed attempts of the CBI to extradite him.
“I find that the continuance of prosecution against Quattrocchi will be unjustified. It is considered expedient in the interest of justice that the proceedings against him should not be continued and be withdrawn,” the CBI pleaded in its nine-page application.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav has fixed the case for pronouncing the order on the plea.
The court, however, accorded an opportunity to advocate Ajay Agarwal, who is opposing the CBI’s move, either to file his written arguments or advance oral submissions before the date fixed for the order.
