Central Bureau of Investigation's efforts to track kickbacks allegedly received by Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors gun deal appeared to have reached a dead end with the Swiss authorities declining assistance to India on grounds of time bar.

"As may be taken from the decision dated January 24, 2007, it is not possible under Swiss law to continue a matter of money laundering when the prosecution of the underlying crime has not resulted in a conviction so far and its continuation is now barred by the rule of lapse of time," the agency said in an affidavit before the Supreme Court.

Rejecting allegations levelled in a public interest litigation that it was not doing enough to get Quattrocchi extradited to India, the CBI said the decision of the federal office of the Federal Department of Justice and Police to the Indian Embassy in Berne. This was in response to the Letters Rogatory issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi, in April last year.

"The decision by the competent Cantonal Magistrate confirms the legal situation and makes it clear that no additional cooperation is available in this matter," the affidavit said.