Thursday, January 12 2006 15:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government today (Jan 12, 2006) said CBI has found no evidence against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the Bofors payoff case and this was conveyed to the British Government.

Law Minister H R Bhardwaj said the Crown Prosecution and the British government had over the past two years sought evidence against Quattrocchi.

The British government had frozen Quattrocchi's bank accounts in United Kingdom and offshore islands on India's request three years ago.

"The Crown prosecution had sought the status of the investigation and we have conveyed to them the recent rulings of the High Court rejecting the case against the Hinduja brothers," Bhardwaj said.

Asked whether the government would not appeal against the unfreezing of the accounts, he said, "CBI has given the details sought by the Crown Prosecution and it is upto them".