New Delhi:
Following is the chronology of events in the Bofors payoff case.
April 16, 1987: Alleged payoffs in the Bofors deal surfaces in a broadcast of Swedish Radio.
January 22, 1990: FIR in the Bofors case registered by CBI.
1997: Swiss banks release some 500 documents after years of legal wrangling. CBI files a case against Ottavio Quattrocchi, arms dealer Win Chadha, also naming Rajiv Gandhi, Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar and number of others.
October 22, 1999: CBI files first chargesheet in the case naming Chadha, Quattrochhi, Bhatnagar, former Bofors Chief Martin Ardbo and Bofors Company.
October 9, 2000: CBI files supplementary chargesheet naming Hinduja brothers -- Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand as accused.
2003: Two British Bank accounts of alleged middleman Ottavio Quattrocchi is frozen by a high court order on request of the government.
February 4, 2004: Delhi High Court gives clean chit to Rajiv Gandhi. Quashes charges under Prevention of Corruption Act.
May 31, 2005: Delhi High court quashes charges against British businessmen, Hinduja brothers -- Shrichand, Gopichand and Prakash.
December 2005: B Datta, the then Additional Solicitor General requests the British Government that two British bank accounts of Quattrocchi be
de-frozen on the grounds of insufficient evidence to link these accounts to the Bofors payoff.
January 16, 2006: Supreme Court directs the Indian government to ensure that Quattrocchi does not withdraw money from the two bank accounts in London.
January 16, 2006: CBI claims in an affidavit filed before the Supreme court that they were still pursuing extradition orders for Quattrocchi.
January 23, 2006: CBI admits that around Rs 21 crore, about $4.6 million, in the two accounts have already been withdrawn.
February 6, 2007: Quattrocchi detained in Argentina but the news of his detention released by CBI only on February 9.
February 7, 2007: Interpol informs CBI about Quattrocchi's detention.
February 13, 2007: CBI, responding to the Supreme Court on a matter relating to money withdrawn by Quattrocchi, does not mention the fact of his detention. CBI admits later that it had the information at that time.
February 23, 2007: CBI releases a statement about Quattrocchi's arrest in Argentina.
February 26, 2007: Quattrocchi released on bail.
March 2, 2007: CBI sends a two-member team - Director Prosecution S K Sharma and Superintendent of Police Keshav Mishra -- to assist in fighting the extradition case.
March 7, 2007: The CBI submits 250-page plea for extradition of Quattrocchi to the Argentinian Foreign Office.
March 23, 2007: The hearing of the plea for Quattrocchi's extradition to India began in the Argentinian court.
June 4, 2007: The two-member team goes again to give final touches ahead of the extradition trial of Quattrocchi.
June 7, 2007: Extradition trial begins in El Dorado
June 8, 2007: The court in El Dorado rejects India's extradition request of Quattrocchi.
October, 2008: Attorney General Milon Banerjee opines that CBI can withdraw Red Corner Notice against Quattrocchi.
November 25, 2008: Red Corner Notice against Quattrocchi withdrawn.
April 30, 2009: CBI seeks time from trial court to decide future course of action against Quattrocchi.
September 8, 2009: CBI seeks two weeks time from trial court forexploring options against Quattrocchi after withdrawal of Red Corner Notice.
September 29, 2009: Centre tells Supreme Court about its decision to withdraw case against Quattrocchi.