Click to play videoBuenos Aires: Though the CBI sleuths in Argentina are trying to extradite Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, his lawyer Alejandro Freeland firmly believes his client is on strong ground.
Freeland says no proof of Quattrocchi's involvement has been found since 1984, when the Bofors scam came to light.
In an exclusive chat with CNN-IBN correspondent Sumon Chakraborti, Freeland denied a lot of information that India claims to have and appeared confident of bailing out his client.
Freeland: I don't have that information that Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sent the files to judges. You have.
Sumon: What will be Quattrocchi's case in court?
Freeland: This is a very old case. The Bofors case dates from 1982 to 1986. Q has been asked for extradition twice in Malaysia. The High Court of Malaysia said there was not a single proof of what India says. The courts in India also established in two important rulings that the case did not exist that there were no briberies, no cheating.
Sumon: Last year, Q's London accounts were de-freezed by the Indian Government. do you think that will help in the case.
Freeland: Of course. Your judges are saying that the facts didn't occur. So how can you hang responsibility or participation of an event that didn't occur?
Freeland also said Quattorcchi will follow legal procedures and abide by the court's order.
Freeland: The judge will give us time to analyse the documents submitted by India. Then we'll be given time to present our case and then there will be a single hearing and a single appeal.
Sumon: Where is Quattrocchi?
Freeland: He is in Argentina and will be here there till the procedure ends. I don't know why India is interested in Q now. He was there between 1986-1993. They could have questioned him then. He was in Malaysia as well and India knew. I don’t know why the sudden interest. He will present himself in front of the court. His passport is with them and he will remain in Argentina till this ends.
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