They won momentarily: Amitabh Bachchan on Bofors scam

Relieved at his name finally being exonerated from the Bofors scam that happened almost 25 years back during his tryst as a politico, actor Amitabh Bachchan took to blogging to express his relief. Following getting a clean chit in the Bofors gun payoff scandal from former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom, the actor wrote about it on his blog.

“I speak from personal experience and personal exoneration. 25 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,” the actor posted late night on Tuesday.

He added, “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… They won momentarily. But lost ultimately. Lost position and strength and power yes, but importantly their conscience. And today that counts the most!”

The Bofors scandal that had rocked the Indian political scene, involved bribing and illegal payoffs in the late 1980s with accusations made against the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as well as Bachchan, who was then a Congress MP, for alleged involvement in the illegal deals. It may also be recalled that the actor and the Gandhi family who were very close till the scandal broke out were believed to have grown distant since.  

The ailing actor, who had been bed-ridden for the past several weeks has also recently begun shooting again and shot for an advertisement on Monday in Filmcity. The ad apart, Bachchan Sr has also been holding meetings with channel bosses to start the shoots for the next season of Kaun Banega Crorepati set to air sometime in August.