Relief for Q: Court closes Bofors case

A Delhi court today accepted theclosure report against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors pay-off case. The court allowed withdrawal of cases.

The CBI last month had contended before the Delhi court that there is no change in government's stand on withdrawing the case against Q in the wake of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal order in the Bofors pay-offs case.

Advocate Ajay Agarwal, who has challenged the CBI move, had opposed the agency's contentions seeking withdrawal of the prosecution against the elusive Italian businessman. He moved a fresh application seeking directions to the CBI to respond to the judgement of the ITAT in which it has been said that Quattrocchi had received kickbacks in the gun deal.

Prediction: Uproar in Parliament on Monday. Both houses adjourned. Q will never face the gallows, so to speak.