New Delhi, Jan. 30: The CBI will finally be sending a letter rogatory to the Swiss government asking if the money in Ottavio Quattrocchi’s now de-frozen London bank accounts had come from Lugano, Switzerland.

Sources said the agency has received clearance both from the home ministry and the courts to send the letter rogatory. Its request is now pending with the foreign ministry, whose approval is just a formality.

The sources said the move is mainly a face-saver after the fiasco of the de-freeze: not much is expected to come from it, for Switzerland had earlier ignored another letter rogatory.

“Even if the Swiss respond this time, following and establishing the money trail is likely to be extremely difficult. Swiss banks keep records only for 10 years but the kickbacks were probably paid between 1987 and 1989,” a senior CBI official said.

The CBI had on January 20 submitted to the home ministry its request to send the letter rogatory. It received the green light last week after which it sought the permission of the chief metropolitan magistrate and got it almost immediately.