New Delhi: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on July 11 approached government for issuance of a Letters Rogatory urgently for London police to facilitate freezing of a bank account of the main accused in the Rs 64 crore Bofors payoff case, Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, having nearly Rs 21 crore (three million pounds).

CBI sent a draft of a Letters Rogatory to the Ministry of External Affairs and also approached the Interpol London for immediate freezing of the bank account, highly placed agency sources said.

The probe agency was informed by the Interpol London that they had traced a "bank account in the name of Ottavio Quattrocchi in which three million pounds had been stashed."

The London authorities asked the CBI to furnish details of the offence, summary of evidence and an assurance that a confiscation request would soon follow from the government.

The CBI, while furnishing the needful quickly, also sent a letter requesting for freezing of the bank account as the Interpol London had stated in its message that they had information that the money was likely to be transferred out of London.

CBI claimed in its request that it was believed that "the amount of three million pounds stashed in the bank account was a part of 73.43 lakh dollars paid to him (Quattrochhi) by A B Bofors through A E Services."

CBI also requested the Indian High Commission in Britain to monitor the progress in the case.

PTI