Tuesday, January 17 2006 09:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in Bofors case, yesterday night (Jan 16, 2006) alleged all his offers of cooperating with the CBI in the probe had in the past been turned down.

"Please note all my offers of collaboration to the CBI in the past were turned down. Through my lawyer in New Delhi and through press releases, I have always offered my collaboration but I was never officially invited by the CBI to answere any question," Quattrocchi told sources.

"Any way I may consider" cooperating with the CBI, he added.

Asked about the Supreme Court direction today to the Centre and CBI to ensure Quattrocchi is not able to withdraw money from the two accounts he has in a London bank, he said, "I am not aware of this. I am not in a position to comment on any decision of the honourable Supreme Court of India".

"All I can say is that after 20 years of probe no proof, not even an iota as one of the judge said, has been established to link me with Bofors," Quattrocchi said.

Replying to a question, Quattrocchi charged he was the "victim of a very old political campaign by a political party against the Gandhi family."

Asked if he was still close to the Gandhi family, he said, "Well, I was proud to be a friend of the Gandhi family. But please leave the friendship alone".

On what were his legal plans, he said, "As far as I am concerned, I have no legal case to answer. Because in my life, I have never violated the law of any country, including the law of India, my second home for over 27 years, which are the best of my life".