New Delhi: The CBI on Monday sought more time for true and correct translation from Spanish to English the order of an Argentinian court rejecting its plea for extradition of Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi, three months after the Supreme Court gave it a time frame to complete the work.
"We need some more time for the purpose of true and correct translation of the order from Spanish to English," Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.
The apex court on August 20 had asked the Centre to translate within four weeks from Spanish the June 8 order of the El Dorado court in Argentina declining India's plea seeking extradition of 69-year-old Quattrocchi.
The Italian businessman, who was detained on February 6 on the basis of a Red Corner notice, was released on bail on February 23.
During the brief hearing, the ASG submitted that the authorities here had asked the Indian Embassy in Argentina to approach the court there for the translation of the order.
However, it was not materialised as the court did not have the translator for the purpose, he said.
Another difficulty which Subramanium told the court was that of absence of treaty on extradition with Argentina.
The court granted time to CBI and posted the matter for further hearing on January 14.
The court was hearing an application filed by advocate Ajay Agrawal, who earlier had moved the apex court against the defreezing of Quattrocchi's bank account in London, seeking a direction to the government and CBI for placing before it all documents relating to his extradition from Argentina.
The application was filed after it was reported that Indian authorities have withdrawn their appeal from the Argentinian Supreme Court against the June 8 order of lower court.
During the last hearing on August 20, the ASG had brushed aside the allegation that the opinion of Director, CBI and also the Government's law officers were supplied to Quattrocchi's counsel in Argentina.
He had said all possible steps were taken in the matter though there was no extradition treaty between India and Argentina.
Agrawal has sought detailed information on why government withdrew its appeal from the Argentinian Supreme Court, enabling Quattrocchi to leave the country.
He has alleged that government "deliberately" failed in extraditing the Italian businessman from Argentina.
The advocate sought disclosure of confidential material, including opinions of CBI and law officers of the Centre, which allegedly facilitated the defeat of India's request for extraditing Quattrocchi.
He has claimed that Indian authorities concealed from El Dorado Court of Argentina that the Supreme Court here has already admitted a petition challenging the Delhi High Court verdict quashing charges against other accused in the case.
Agrawal had filed the appeal against the May 31, 2005 judgement of the High Court after CBI had failed to approach the apex court in mandatory 90 days period.
Quattrocchi has not yet appeared in any of the hearings in the Indian Court.
Comments
0 comment