Bofors Case: CBI Seeks Details from Investigator Michael Hershman Interviewed by Republic in 2017

New Delhi: The Bofors Case of the 1980s has now been reopened as CBI is sending a judicial request to the United States, seeking information from Michael Hershman, the investigator in the case, who was interviewed by Republic in the year 2017. With the Republic Impact, seven years after the interview, the case is being reopened. Here's what we know so far…

Republic Impact: Bofors Case Reopened after Michael Hershman Interview 

Seven years ago, the Bofors Case investigator, Michael Hershman was interviewed by Republic and as part of its impact, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now reopened the case and the investigation stands at an extremely critical stage. The Republic Interview from 2017 made important revelations in the case prompting CBI to investigate the scandal. In October 2017, the Central Bureau of Investigation had issued an official statement saying that the agency will be looking into the facts and circumstances as mentioned by Michael Hershman on Republic TV.

Hershman, head of the Fairfax Group, visited India in 2017 to attend a conference of private detectives. During his stay, he appeared on Republic and in the interview, he alleged that the investigation into the scam was derailed by the Congress government and stated he was willing to share details with the CBI. The CBI took note of his claims in several interviews and announced in 2017 that the matter would be investigated according to due process.

The agency informed the special court that, following Hershman’s revelations, it plans to reopen the investigation. The CBI had previously sent letters and reminders to US authorities on November 8, 2023, December 21, 2023, May 13, 2024, and August 14, 2024, but received no information, with the US authorities requesting additional time. The central agency has now opted to pursue the LR route, where a competent court sends a formal request for information to the relevant authorities in the US, subject to clearance from the Indian government.

CBI To Send Judicial Request to US, Seeks Info from Michael Hershman

The process to send the Letters Rogatory (LR) was initiated in October this year, and it is expected to take around 90 days before the formal request is sent to the US, aimed at obtaining information to further investigate the alleged bribery case, the officials said. A ‘letter rogatory’, written request sent by the court of one country to the court of another country to obtain assistance in the investigation or prosecution of a criminal matter, is being sent to the United States to seek information from Michael Hershman, the investigator in the Bofors Case.

What is Bofors Case? All You Need to Know

The case involves allegations of a Rs 64-crore bribe in a Rs 1,437-crore deal with Swedish firm Bofors in the 1980s during the then Congress government for the supply of 400 155mm field howitzers, which played a significant role in India’s victory during the Kargil war. The CBI had registered the case in 1990, three years after a Swedish radio channel had alleged that bribes were paid by Bofors to politicians and defence officials of India to clinch the deal. The allegations created a big scandal for the Rajiv Gandhi Government. The CBI filed the chargesheets in 1999 and 2000.

The case was closed in 2011. While the Delhi High Court had exonerated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 2004, a year later it quashed all charges against the remaining accused, including the Hinduja brothers, in the politically sensitive case. Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, the alleged middleman in the payoff case, was discharged in 2011 by a court which allowed the CBI to withdraw prosecution against him.

The CBI appealed against the 2005 decision in apex court in 2018 but it was dismissed on the grounds of delay. The Supreme Court, however, allowed it to raise all the points in an appeal filed by advocate Ajay Aggarwal in 2005.

(Inputs from PTI)