Four months after he was detained at the Iguazu International Airport in response to a Red Corner Notice issued in his name, a judge in Argentina’s El Dorado city is expected to pronounce the verdict on the extradition of Bofors-accused Ottavio Quattrocchi.

The CBI delayed a public announcement of his detention for 17 days following which it sent its formal extradition request.

The CBI failed in its earlier attempt to extradite him from Malaysia in 2002 since courts found the evidence insufficient.

Indian Ambassador to Argentina Pramathesh Rath and Quattrocchi’s lawyer Alejandro Freeland told The Indian Express from Buenos Aires that they expected the crucial pronouncement on Thursday itself.

Said Rath, “We expect the judge to pronounce the verdict tomorrow or an extension of hearings by a day if both sides are given an opportunity to argue their case on India’s extradition request. After that, either side can file an appeal against the verdict in the Argentine Supreme Court.”

He added that in case arguments were heard, the Argentine Public Prosecutor will take up India’s plea and Quattrocchi’s defence lawyer will plead his own case.

Freeland said he was confident the Indian request for extradition will be rejected outright by the El Dorado judge. “We have an excellent case and since my client’s detention, I have examined all Indian court verdicts. Mr Quattrocchi is presently with me in Buenos Aires. We will be traveling to El Dorado and he will be present in the courtroom tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, a CBI team comprising Director of Prosecution S K Sharma and Superintendent of Police Keshav Mishra has reached El Dorado to attend the court hearing. This is the same team which, in March, handed over the formal extradition request along with 250 pages of evidence.