Quattrocchi: Quick mover

New Delhi, Jan. 23 (PTI): The Centre today said the money in Ottavio Quattrocchi’s two London bank accounts was withdrawn the day the Supreme Court had told it and the CBI to ensure the funds were not transferred.

The statement came amid revelations that the UK prosecutors had asked if additional solicitor-general B. Dutta had exceeded his brief in giving the clean chit that led to the accounts being de-freezed on January 11.

Dutta had told the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last month there was no evidence to link the money, equivalent to Rs 21 crore, to the Bofors payoff.

“The money was withdrawn on January 16 itself,” additional solicitor-general Gopal Subramanian told a three-judge bench.

“On January 17 and 18, the CBI requested the Indian high commission and Interpol London (to help ensure) the orders of the Supreme Court are complied with,” a CBI affidavit said.

But the CPS replied that since the bank no longer held any funds in favour of Quattrocchi, “no useful purpose would be served by seeking to restrain the accounts”.

Senior crown prosecutor Shane Nainappan sent a mail to senior CBI official R.K. Sharma saying that to begin any fresh initiatives against the Italian, the CPS would have to satisfy the British high court on two points.

One, that proceedings had been initiated against Quattrocchi in India and two, there was reason to believe that an external confiscation order may be made during the trial.

He said Dutta had given “unequivocal instructions” that “there was no longer any reasonable prospect of the case proceeding to trial”.

“On what basis it is now said that there is a reasonable prospect of the case? proceeding to trial and the reasons for the change of circumstance?”

The mail asked “who instructed Dutta”, what the instructions were and if Dutta had exceeded them. It said any fresh plea against Quattrocchi must make a “full and frank disclosure” on these issues.

The apex court asked petitioner Ajay Agrawal to file a reply to the CBI affidavit within two weeks.

CBI hunt

The CBI has sought the Union home ministry’s clearance to send letters rogatory to Switzerland to find out the source of the money that was held in the two accounts.

CBI officials said the ministry hadn’t responded yet. The agency believes the money came from Lugano in Switzerland.