Bofors probe hasn't moved an inch, court tells CBI

Reserving its order to February 21 on the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea for closing the Bofors payoff case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, a Delhi court pulled up the agency saying its probe has "not moved an inch" in the last 24 years.

Making strong observations on the CBI plea, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav also asked the premier investigating agency how much money has been spent in the case. Quattrocchi has been chargesheeted for allegedly receiving a payoff of US $ 7.32 million for brokering the Bofors gun deal. Yadav reserved his order on the CBI plea, observing that the case has "not moved an inch" in the last 23 to 24 years and asking the agency as to how much money has been spent on the probe into the case. "Do we have any rough calculation that how much money has been spent on this case. Is the figure of around Rs 250 crore, mentioned in the Delhi High Court's order correct?," the CMM asked the CBI.

The agency, however, said that it has no ready-made calculation. Yadav firmly turned down the plea of advocate Ajay Agrawal, who has been agitating in various courts for Quattrocchi's extradition

to India, to give him some more time to provide the court some crucial information, which he expected from the Central Information Commission.

"Since, this court has heard the argument, there is no point in holding back the order for the information of the Central Information Commission (CIC). Put the matter for pronouncement of order on February 21," CMM Yadav said. Agrawal contended that CBI's plea for closing the case was against the public interest During the hearing, Agrawal, who has been opposing the CBI plea for closure of the case against Quattrocchi, pleaded that the court should wait for the CIC's decision, likely to be delivered within this month, as it would prove crucial for the court in deciding the CBI's plea. Agrawal told the court that he had filed an appeal before the CIC after CBI refused to provide him information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the matter had been taken up by the CIC yesterday.

Turning down Agrawal's plea, the court said, "Advocate Agrawal is at liberty to place on record the documents/ informations which he receives from the CIC. But he will not be given any further chance to advance his arguments in this matter."