The Kuala Lumpur High Court today postponed for a day an appeal of a ruling against the extradition to India of an Italian allegedly involved in the Bofors bribery scandal, a legal source said.

"The high court judge won't be in court," said an employee from the legal firm for Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

"The appeal hearing will be held Wednesday."

Weapons contract

Yesterday, the court decided Quattrocchi should not be extradited, releasing him unconditionally and ordering his passport and bail be returned, his lawyer said.

The charges against him relate to the 1986 scandal in which Swedish arms company Bofors allegedly paid US$14.2 million in bribes to clinch a weapons contract with India worth a total of US$1.3 billion.

Quattrocchi, who has been on bail since his arrest in December 2000, has said the extradition attempt was politically motivated. AFP