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SC rejects Quattrocchi's plea against arrest warrant

The Supreme Court today dismissed a special leave petition by Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors gun deal case, challenging a Delhi high court judgment upholding the arrest warrant issued against him by a district court in New Delhi.

A division bench, comprising Justices G T Nanavati and S N Phukan thereby allowed an application by the Union government seeking recall of the court's earlier order giving Quattrocchi an opportunity to appear before the trial court by March 15 and asking the CBI not to arrest him on his arrival in India.

By that order, the court has also permitted the Bofors agent to go back to Malaysia after his interrogation by the CBI for two weeks.

Since Quattrocchi never appeared before the trial court and also changed his stand in the court, the Union government filed the application seeking recall of the court's earlier order and initiating contempt proceedings against him for going back on the undertaking given to the court.

The court also dismissed an application moved by Quattrocchi seeking modification of the court's earlier order by which he had been permitted to surrender before the trial court.

The court strongly disapproved the manner in which Quattrocchi had conducted himself by giving an interview to a magazine expressing his opinion on the application of the Union government pending in the court.

Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee who appeared for the Union government did not press his plea of contempt proceedings against Quattrocchi in view of the displeasure expressed by the court about his conduct.

UNI

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