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Relief for Quattrocchi as Bofors case is closed

A Delhi court on Friday accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation plea to shut the Bofors payoff case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

The verdict of the court comes as a relief for Quattrocchi, as the CBI will now withdraw its case against him. Passing its judgment, the court said all attempts to extradite Quattrocchi failed in 25 years.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav had earlier on February 21 deferred his order on the CBI plea seeking withdrawal of the case against Quattrocchi, who has never appeared before any court in India to face trial.

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Relief for Quattrocchi as Bofors case is closed

Earlier, the CBI had pleaded before the court that the ruling of income tax appellate tribunal in Bofors pay offs case is ''nothing new'' and its application for withdrawing the proceedings against Quattrocchi should be allowed.

An income tax tribunal in its order issued earlier, indicated how much money Quattrocchi and Win Chaddha were paid by Bofors as bribes.

The kickbacks violated rules, as a middleman is illegal in defence deals in India. Therefore, Quattrocchi and Chaddha are liable to pay income tax on bribe money they got while living in India.

It also claimed that due to the kickbacks, India had to pay almost Rs 160 crore extra for the guns.

 

Relief for Quattrocchi as Bofors case is closed

The Bofors scandal was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s. The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and several others were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB who were awarded the contract for the supply of 155 mm field howitzers.