New Delhi: The trial for extradition of Ottavio Quattrocchi, the main accused in the Bofor's case, began in an Argentinian court on Friday with the Italian businessman strongly opposing it and the CBI expressing confidence about its success.
For the first hearing of his extradition case in less than two months after he was detained in Iguazo International Airport, about 100 km in the Misiones province, on an Interpol Red Corner notice, Quattrocchi appeared before the judge in the First Court in El Dorado city.
The 69-year-old Italian businessman has been detained since February 6 in the Misiones Province of Argentina on the basis of an Interpol alert.
Quattrocchi, who is accused of taking bribes in the Bofors Howitzer gun deal, said "no" when judge Hachi Rodoi asked him whether he would like to be extradited to India.
The court adjourned hearing to an unspecified date when both Quattrocchi and the CBI will be asked to present evidence and arguments, a procedure that is expected to take between two and four months to complete.
Quattrocchi’s lawyer Alejandro Freeland expressed confidence that the court would throw out India's case and his client would not be deported to India.
However, CBI's counsels Migeul Alnagra and Lilian Delgado expressed confidence that CBI had a strong case. They expected the process in this court to complete in two months and to move to the Supreme Court in Buenos Aires.
They were confident that he would be extradited to India and said it is now in the hands of the court.
Quattrocchi has been given bail and asked to confine himself to Buenos Aires ever since he was released from detention in Misiones province.
After the hour-long hearing, Quattrocchi refused to make any statement to the media and left for the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires.
"I am in Argentina. There are rules here and I do not want to make any statements at this time," said Quattrocchi.
"I would like to cooperate and it is in the hands of the courts now," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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