Malaysia resists arms case 'pressure'

The guns were procured for India's army in the 1980s

Malaysia's prime minister has refused to intervene in the case of an Italian businessman wanted by India.

Mahathir Mohamad said any decision to extradite Ottavio Quattrocchi from Malaysia had to be taken by the courts.

What is important is the decision is not made by me - it is made by the courts

Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad

He was responding to a report that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had written to him to seek support for the businessman.

Mr Quattrocchi is wanted on bribery and corruption charges in connection with a long-running arms scandal in India.

He has been on bail since his arrest in Malaysia two years ago.

"What is important is the decision is not made by me. It is made by the courts," Dr Mahathir told RTM television.

A Malaysian court rejected India's extradition request on 2 December and demanded that Mr Quattrocchi's passport be returned.

A high court ruling on an appeal by Indian officials against that judgement is expected on Friday.

'We will win'

Mr Quattrocchi's lawyer said his client was optimistic ahead of the ruling.

"We are confident of victory. We will win," Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told AFP news agency.

Mr Quattrocchi says the charges against him are politically motivated.

He was friends with Rajiv Gandhi and his widow and current leader of India's opposition Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi.

Hindujas

The scandal dates back to the mid-1980s when the Indian Government finalised a $1.3bn deal with the Swedish arms company, Bofors, for the supply of 400 field guns.

Allegations circulated in the media soon after that bribes had been paid, and Indian officials launched an inquiry.

The current charges came after a long investigation by Indian police which also implicated a number of top politicians, including the then prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

Last week, the Indian Supreme Court postponed until March the trial of three of the billionaire Hinduja brothers - Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand - who are also accused in the case.

They deny all charges.