Dial B for Truth: Chitra Subramaniam Unveils the Real Story Behind Bofors and Bachchan

In a gripping revelation, journalist Chitra Subramaniam shares her surprise encounter with Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan during her probe into the controversial Bofors scandal. Documented in her new book, Boforsgate: A Journalist's Quest for Truth, Subramaniam reveals how the megastar's name was unfairly brought into the issue as part of a "vicious campaign.

The Bofors scandal in the late 1980s shook Indian politics, in which Bachchan was falsely accused of being associated with a Swiss bank account, said to be for kickbacks by Swedish gun-maker Bofors. Subramaniam comes clean that though subjected to gigantic pressure, she never found anything that could pinpoint Bachchan. Her honesty and refusal to vouch for the forged claims invited personal vitriol and defamation by the media.

Subramaniam also relates the personal experience of getting a call from Bachchan, which culminated in a dinner meeting. She portrays him as a "gentleman to the core," who left her awed by his intelligence and humility. Looking back at the fiasco, she infers that jealousy and a desire to undermine his towering reputation drove the unfounded accusations.

This forthright account not only vindicates Bachchan's name but also highlights the toughness of ethical journalism in the teeth of political vendettas.

Source: The New Indian Express