CONG'S FAREWELL GIFT TO NATION-IN-LAW: JAITLEY
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Pioneer News Service
The Pioneer
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Quattrocchi walks free, courtesy Govt
Indraprasth aka New Delhi - The Congress got it from left
and right on Tuesday as CBI's recommendation to withdraw
Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Bofors scam accused Ottavio
Quattrocchi created a political furore, arming the BJP with
fresh ammunition in the midst of the Lok Sabha poll.
From the BJP to Left and Mayawati to Nitish Kumar - all
smelled a "political conspiracy" behind the CBI's decision
-- that, according to Leader of opposition LK Advani,
highlighted the uncertainty in the Congress about their
chances to return to power.
Accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief
Sonia Gandhi of colluding in the conspiracy to forever bury
the truth about Bofors, Advani said in Ahmedabad: "The
Congress was not going to come to power. Else, they would
have waited for the election to get over and then take this
step." Advani went on to predict that the ruling party
would be "punished for its sins" in the same way as in
1989.
Meanwhile, an application has been moved in the Supreme
Court challenging the CBI's decision. The urgent
application filed by advocate Ajay Agrawal sought the
direction of the apex court to stay the operation of any
withdrawal of the RCN against Quattrocchi who has not
submitted himself to Indian court in connection with the
Bofors case.
Agrawal, who had earlier moved the apex court in January
2006 against the defreezing of Quattrocchi's bank account
in London, sought issuance of Red Corner Notice again.
Agrawal said the Interpol should be informed immediately so
that Quattrocchi could be nabbed and produced before an
Indian court.
The development came as a big embarrassment for the
Congress and the BJP did not waste time in raising the
anti-corruption pitch. BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley
said if elected to power the NDA Government would
constitute a commission to probe into cases wherein the CBI
colluded with the high-profile accused to bail them out.
This commission would also suggest remedial measures on how
the independence and autonomy of the CBI can be restored.
"Quattrocchi has been a close friend of the Congress
leadership. At the time of its departure, the Government is
giving a farewell gift to the citizen of a privileged
country. It is almost like a farewell gift to a nation-in-
law," Jaitley told reporters here.
Advani, who described the latest development as the last
nail in the coffin of judicial process in respect of the
Bofors scandal, also promised to examine the Quattrocchi
issue after being voted to power".
"It is obvious that he (Manmohan Singh) and his Government
have acted under instruction from 10 Janpath. His silence
over the past five years on the systematic misuse of the
CBI and the Law Ministry confirms his guilt," Advani told
reporters in Ahmedabad.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati who had a blow-hot-
blow-cold relationship with the CBI also shared Advani's
sentiments that the latest development was an "act of
desperation" by the Congress.
"Our Government demands from the Centre to immediately
revoke the CBI decision to give clean chit to Italian
businessman Quattrocchi, who is an accused in Bofors payoff
scam. Strict action should be taken against culprits of the
scam," she told reporters in Lucknow.
Her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar feels the move will
raise suspicion on the CBI's credibility. "Whatever has
been done carries no credibility and has failed to address
the suspicions being voiced in the media and elsewhere
regarding the case for the last several years," he told
reporters in Patna. Kumar said though the matter was
brought to light in 1989 and prolonged investigations were
launched, people's suspicions about the payoffs were not
cleared.
Entire Left, including Forward Bloc and the RSP, was united
in taking on the Congress. The CPI(M) Politburo said the
move was "another step to bury" the Bofors scam by the
Manmohan Singh Government. "Coming in the wake of the
failure to successfully prosecute all those involved in the
bribery case, it is evident that as long as there is a
Congress-led Government in office, the subversion of
justice will continue," the party statement read.
CPI national secretary D Raja said that it was now up to
the Congress-led UPA and CBI to explain its position on the
matter which has generated "a lot of controversy". "The
role of the CBI is questioned in a number of instances. It
is now for the Government and the CBI to explain the
position," Raja said.
The embarrassment notwithstanding, the Congress took a
defiant posture and blamed the "the BJP for politicising"
the Quattrocchi issue and said that BJP-led NDA Government
should have taken up the matter during its regime.
Party spokesman Anand Sharma said, "Bofors has been on
Opposition agenda for over 23 years now. But not even a
single thread of evidence has been produced so far. In
1989, an election was fought wrongfully vilifying the Prime
Minister for having brought to the country the finest
weapon system."
Sharma claimed that Bofors guns had provide themselves in
Kargil war. "The same BJP, which had criticised the weapon
system and made accusations about kickbacks, praised it
after its success in Kargil War."
Taking a dig at the BJP, which termed the CBI's move as an
attempt by the Congress to save "personal family friend of
Gandhi family", senior party leader and spokesman M
Veerappa Moily said if there was any proof against the
businessman, the NDA should have taken up the matter during
its rule.
"We have nothing to do with Quattrocchi. The Bofors case
has been in the public for over two decades. If there was
any proof of his involvement in the scam, the NDA, which
ruled the country for seven years, should have taken some
steps," Moily said. The controversy erupted when the CBI
asked the Interpol to take off Quattrocchi, accused in the
Rs 64 crore Bofors payoff scam, from its Red Corner Notice
list.
The Congress accused the BJP-led NDA Government of wasting
time and money over unnecessary litigation in getting
Quattrocchi extradited. Sharma said: "In Malaysia, the
authorities made an arrest and then the Government of India
fought a case in the sessions court. There they lost. They
still went to Court of Appeals, where the case was thrown
out. Malaysia and India follow the same jurisprudence. Can
I ask who is responsible for two-and-a-half years of
litigation, three lost appeals and strictures passed
against India?"
The Congress denied there has been any interference in
functioning of the CBI. Moily said the Congress has never
interfered in the affairs of the CBI or any other agency
and will never do so in the future too. "If we wanted to
shut the case, then we could have done it when we were in
power. The case took its legal course. Now, since he has
been acquitted by the court, it would have been illegal to
keep a notice pending against him unless there is a case,"
Moily said.
He said the Congress has always believed that all cases
should take its own legal course and if there was any proof
against anyone, the person should be prosecuted. "But once
everything has been settled by the courts, then why
politicise the issue," he asked.
I consider both the Prime Minister and Congress president
guilty. This is the last nail in the coffin of the judicial
process in respect of the Bofors scandal. We will examine
Quattrocchi issue if voted to power. They (Congress) are
not going to come to power. Else, they would have waited
for the election to get over and then taken this step
-- NDA prime ministerial candidate LK Advani
The Centre has no role in CBI asking the Interpol to drop
Quattrocchi's name from its Red Corner notice list. This is
a politically motivated allegation. The notice was issued
by the Interpol on the basis a non-bailable warrant against
Quattrocchi. Later, it transpired during the extradition
proceedings against the accused in Argentina that there was
no such non-bailable warrant in existence...Court there
held that there was no such warrant and he has been
arrested in violation of the law and ordered that he should
be set free
- Law Minister H R Bhardwaj
Quattrocchi has been a close friend of the Congress
leadership. At the time of its departure, the Government is
giving a farewell gift to the citizen of a privileged
country. It is almost like a farewell gift to a nation-in-
law
- BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley
The agency had proof that Quattrocchi had allegedly
received US $7.32 million as kickbacks in Rs 64-crore
Bofors scam. There are documents with the CBI showing that
Quattrocchi received US $7.32 million. The documents have
been given by the Swiss authorities themselves. The
documents are with the Government and the CBI and also part
of records in Delhi High Court
- Former CBI Director Joginder Singh
- See editorial: Winding up charges: Congress lets Mr Q walk free
http://dailypioneer.com/172852/Cong%E2%80%99s-farewell-gift-to-nation-in-law-Jaitley.html
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harmony
the law, and harrassing hindu leaders like modi on whom supreme court has
recently ordered investigation.
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