An Argentinian court may hear the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea for extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in Bofors case, on May 17, his lawyer Alejandro Freeland said in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

However, some other sources said the date of the hearing may be put off as it clashed with the schedule of CBI's lawyer Miguel Almeyra.

The CBI's plea is with Judge Harichi Doi from the First Court of El Dorado province of Argentina.

Freeland had last week submitted his defence papers to the court, which included previous rulings relevant to the case from Indian and Malaysian courts and juridical opinion and affadavits in support of his client's "innocence."

Quattrocchi was detained in Argentina on February 6, but a court released him on bail.

However, his passport was impounded and he was barred from leaving the country till a decision on the plea for extradition was taken by the court.