Invite Swedish cop who probed Bofors, Fernandes tells PM
Even as India on Friday placed documents before the Argentinian government for the extradition of Italian middleman Ottavio Quattrocchi, the Opposition began mounting pressure on the government to act on ‘other leads’ available in the case.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Even as India on Friday placed documents before the Argentinian government for the extradition of Italian middleman Ottavio Quattrocchi, the Opposition began mounting pressure on the government to act on ‘other leads’ available in the case.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, NDA convenor George Fernandes drew the attention of a letter from Sten Lindstorm — Swedish police officer who was the principal investigator in the Bofors case — expressing his willingness to come to India and help in investigating the case.
“You are a man who believes in the truth. I request you to send Mr Lindstorm the invitation that he is seeking so that the country gets to know truth,” Mr Fernandes said in the letter.
Mr Lindstorm had alleged that pressure from India led to the Swedish National Audit Bureau sending a blanked-out version of its inquiry report to India. “All the relevant parts containing the critical payment details were blacked out. I had made the full report and it was unreal to see politicians claim that no payment had been made,” Mr Lindstorm had said in his letter.
The Fernandes offensive comes close on the heels of accusations that there is a deliberate plan to subvert the extradition process against the Italian middleman. SK Sharma, an officer who is part of the two-member team deputed for the work, had helped in weakening the case that facilitated the de-freezing of Quattrocchi’s money from two accounts in a British bank.
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Reports from Buenos Aires said Indian ambassador Parmathesh Rath filed the extradition papers. “We will see, we have to follow this up within the framework of Argentinian law. We will do whatever is possible,” agency reports quoting Mr Rath said.The 69-year-old Italian middleman was detained in Argentina on February 6 on the basis of an Interpol alert. Quattrocchi was released on bail on February 23, but his passport has been impounded and he has been prohibited from leaving the country.
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