BUENOS AIRES, Mar 3 (NNN-PTI) -- The judgements given in India in the Bofors cases and the failed extradition attempt in Malaysia will form the basis for the defence of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi should the extradition case initiated against him by the CBI proceeds to a hearing, his Argetinian lawyer Alejandro Freeland has said.
Freeland, who claimed that both he and Quattrocchi are "confounded" at the turn of events that resulted in the Bofors-accused's arrest in Argentina told PTI that he has not been contacted by the CBI, nor had access to the papers that have been supplied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Buenos Aires.
He, however, has been researching past precedents in cases involving the Bofors arms deal and believes that "there is significant evidence that the case being brought against Quattrocchi is based on fictitious events, this view being supported by a judge in the New Delhi High Court in rulings in 2004 and 2005 during the Hindujas brothers' Bofors trial."
"It is likely that these cases, and the failed Malaysian extradition attempt will form the basis of Quattrocchi's defence should the case proceed to a hearing," he said.
According to Freeland, Quattrocchi was a resident "in India until 1993, seven years after the Bofors disposal, and was never questioned or approached by the CBI during this time. Following the last extradition attempt in Malaysia in 1997 Quattrocchi returned to Italy and again, no attempt was made by the CBI to begin extradition proceedings there."