Expressing happiness over his name being cleared within the Bofors payoff scam, mega-star Amitabh Bachchan, however, said Wednesday that he's “pained” that it came after 25 years.
Speaking to reporters here, Bachchan welcomed the revelations made by the Swedish investigators within the Bofors case. He said he had “lived with humiliation and lack of reputation” these kind of years.
“I am happy that the reality has emerged after 25 years,” he said.
However, he wished that his father, the late Harivanshrai Bachchan, had lived to look this development. “My family knew the reality on Bofors all along, from day one,” Bachchan said.
“My father once asked if I USED TO BE really fascinated about the scandal. I wish this disclosure would have happened when he was alive,” he added.
Bachchan’s reactions came based on fresh revelations within the Bofors case by which Swedish investigator Sten Lindstrom said that the case against actor after which Congress MP and his family was planted in Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter by Indian investigators.
“From the very day we have now maintained that we were innocent, for 25 years my in addition to my family’s name bore the brunt of the scandal of which I USED TO BE never an element of,” he said.
He, however, wondered as to why Lindstorm cleared his name only now. He said he quit politics only because he couldn't get used to it. “I left before the Bofors scandal broke, but some people tried to link my exit from politics to the scandal,” he said.
Earlier, Bachchan had said on his blog that 25 years after the incident, “I read today from one who pioneered accusation and investigation, of innocence”.
“No one will be capable of understand and even remotely fathom, the hours and days and months and years of the anguish of petulant blame that I needed to undergo. But will it really interest another? No it shall not,” he wrote.
The Bofors case dates back to 1986, when Swiss arms manufacturer Bofors landed a Rs.1,500 crore contract to offer 155 mm howitzers to India. A year later, Swiss media began reporting that the corporate had paid massive kickbacks to Indian politicians, including then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and defence officials.
Lindstrom now says there is not any evidence to turn Rajiv Gandhi was bribed. – IANS
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