Amitabh Bachchan finally cleared in Bofors scandal
Living under the glare of the spotlight leaves you open to much scrutiny in the public eye --flaws are ridiculed, private lives are broadcasted and dodging mudslingers becomes an art form.
But every once in a while comes a scandal that can rock the very foundation of your success story. For Bollywood’s Bachchan family, the Bofors scandal of the ’80s and early ’90s almost shattered their world.
Almost, but not quite.
Amitabh Bachchan in his new movie 'Department'. (YOUTUBE)
And now, after nearly 25 years, the Bachchan family has been finally exonerated in the corruption scandal of receiving kickbacks, along with late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, from Bofors AB for winning a bid in the Rs1,500.
Actor Amitabh Bachchan took to his blog in the early hours of Wednesday to finally express his relief, recalling the “anguish of petulant blame,” when the scandal broke.
He said: “I speak from personal experience and personal exoneration. Twenty-five years after the incident, I read today from one that pioneered accusation and investigation, of innocence.
“Of the fault that never lay before me. Of one that remained and shall perhaps remain a darkened spot, blemished beyond all recognition, but in admittance of wrong doing against me.”
Click here to check what Amitabh gift Aishwarya
The 69-year-old actor further talked of the humiliation he suffered during those days, adding: “No one shall be able to understand or even remotely fathom, the hours and days and months and years of the anguish of petulant blame that I had to go through.
News broke of the same when former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom came forward in an interview with website Thhoot.org, revealing himself as the Swedish source who had supplied Indian Express journalist Chitra Subramaniam with insider information to the scandal in the ’80s.
Lindstrom said the case against the actor and then Congress MP Amitabh Bachchan and his family was planted in a Swedish newspaper by Indian investigators.
The former official added that there was also no evidence to show that the late Rajiv Gandhi had taken a bribe in the Bofors deal, but he didn’t stop the cover-up to protect Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi.
The impact of the Bofors scandal was attributed to directly causing the defeat of Gandhi’s ruling Indian National Congress party in the November 1989 general elections.
But in Bachchan’s words: “They won momentarily. But lost ultimately. Lost position and strength and power yes, but importantly their conscience. And today that counts the most.”