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DNA Impact | Hershman revelation opens can of worms, why did Rajiv Gandhi meet spurious bank officials: Smriti Irani

Irani implored Congress to answer questions about their involvement in the Bofors case.

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Smriti Irani ( Photograph by Bir Bahadur/DNA)
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Two days after DNA carried an interview with erstwhile president and CEO The Fairfax Group Michael J Hershman about the Rajiv Gandhi government's link to Bofors, Union Minister Smriti Irani tore into Congress and its leaders.

Michael J Hershman had told DNA that he was tasked to find financial irregularities of Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) by erstwhile FM VP Singh.  He had said: “I had a source who indicated that this money was bribes paid by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors.”

Attacking the Congress, Smriti Irani said at press conference that the Congress had for too long 'conveniently kept quiet'. She said: "For too long Cong conveniently kept quiet, it's time they answer what's the involvement of Cong leaders, then and now, in Bofors saga.” She asked why Rajiv Gandhi had chosen to silence a minister in his own government.

She went on to add: "The Hershman revelation opens up a can of worms. Till now people looked at the Bofors deal from bribery and arms deal, Hersman interview also highlights roles of BCCI. Why would Rajiv Gandhi engage with corrupt officials of BCCI who are known across the world for financial fraud. Why would he gave audience to a bank which is being raided for spurious financial activity and money laundering. That is a huge question. There are many layers that are coming to the fore." 

In his interview, Hershman had also told DNA that he had been offered money thrice, twice to stop the investigation and once to damage the reputation of VP Singh.

Read Michael J Hersman's full interview with DNA

 

Earlier, CBI said it would look into the "facts and circumstances" of the Bofors scam mentioned by Michael Hershmam, who alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government had sabotaged his investigation.
 

Hershman, who is the president of the US-based private detective firm Fairfax, claimed in television interviews recently that Rajiv Gandhi was "furious" when he had found a Swiss bank account "Mont Blanc".

Hershman, who was here last week to address a conference of private detectives, also alleged that the bribe money of the Bofors gun scandal had been parked in the Swiss account.

"The agency has learnt of the matter pertaining to the Bofors aired on certain TV channels containing interview of Michael Hershman," CBI informationa officer and spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said in a statement.

"Facts and circumstances as mentioned in the interview will be looked into as per due process by the CBI," he said.

Hershman was quoted as telling television channels that Rajiv Gandhi got very upset when "our work was uncovered". He then established a Supreme Court commission to look into the circumstances surrounding then finance minister V P Singh's hiring of Fairfax.

In his interviews, Hershman has expressed his willingness to testify and help Indian agencies on the Rs 64 crore Bofors gun pay-off scandal but the effort has to be a credible one.


With inputs from agencies

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