HAUNTING BOFORS
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    • HAUNTING BOFORS
    the media's obsession with Bofors is understandable for the saga of this defence deal over a period of 2 decades helped them to stigmatize personal reputations of what is known as the first family of Congress Party. Many of us thought that the Bofors ghost has been laid to rest following the dismissal of the case by the Delhi High Court and the reluctance of CBI to appeal in the Supreme Court some 6 years ago even though there were whispers that Congress Party is scared of getting in to the bottom of the issue as to whether any kickbacks were indeed paid to those suspected to have received them. the genesis of the story if one recollects establishes the fact that Bofors gun was adjudged to be the best among 3 other competitors including Sofma of France by a committee of experts including the then COAS Gen Sundarji and Jaswant Singh and Defence Secretary Bhatngar. It was also known that AB Bofors was on the verge of bankruptcy when the then Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme lobbied for order with the then PM of India Late Sri Rajiv Gandhi. The practice of Indian Defence contracts were till then that the importers should disclose the presence of any indian Agents before signing a contract and the quantum of commission disclosed. It was Rajiv as Mr. Clean who changed the rules of the game into a commitment that no middle men should be involved and if so, the commission should be deducted from contract value. The deal was signed for about INR 1430 crores and both the Prime Ministers asserted that there were no middlemen in the deal Later on Swedish PM died and a private Radio broadcast claimed that kickbacks were involved in the deal paid to Indian politicians and Officials. There after Indian press took up itself the task of investigating the alleged kickbacks and politicians jumped in to the bandwagon led by VP  Singh the cleaner than Mr. Clean of India's politics at that time. Surprisingly a reputed but a conservative newspaper The Hindu despite a family split continued to pour venom against Rajiv Gandhi, An advocate like Ram Jethmalani was making innuendoes., Rajiv lost an election on his perceived proximity to those who were alleged beneficiaries of a secret commission till then denied by him as having not been paid. VP Singh promised to unearth this in 15 days flat and recover the money paid as commission.  He lasted for almost a year before Advani brought down his Government through his rath yathra. During his regime, the then Solicitor General Arun Jaitley with an entourage of officials made several trips to Sweden and elsewhere searching for the missing link to nail Rajiv. Governments came and went and the saga continued with witch hunting targeting Rajiv. 

    Just then the Delhi High court dismissed the case observing precious money of taxpayer to the tune of 100 cores were wasted on this exercise and fair names of people in high offices were sullied. Yes CBI chose not to appeal. People forgot the issue.

    Suddenly an appeal filed by the legal  heir of Win Chada since deceased and an alleged beneficiary of the commission, was dismissed by Income Tax Appellate Tribunal who had taken up the role of CBI and other investigating agencies, relying on News paper reports etc and concluded that commissions were indeed paid to Win chada and Ottavio Quottrochi. This time again the opposition woke up from their slumber and BJP National executive has called Sonia to be prepared to have her bank accounts investigated. 

    Now the issue is if the Arms manufacturer violated a sacred agreement of not employing middlemen, there should have been recourse to recover the money including the right to prosecute the firm for breach of contract. This was not done by any successive governments. Even when Spares were ordered during Kargil, this 63 crores could have been recovered. That was not done. It all suited to victimise the Gandhi family and the Congress Party. ITAT is not an investigating agency and they were commenting on a case already closed by various courts. Then this cry for reopening BOFORS is nothing short of witch hunting. Who will explain the money that went to Hindujas, the bosom friends of BJP
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