The scandal erupted in 1987 when Swedish radio revealed that Bofors -- facing stiff international competition -- had paid more than $50 million in bribes to secure a contract for the sale of field guns worth $1.4 billion to the Indian Army.
Then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was named one of the suspects in the scam. On 5 February 2004 the Delhi High Court quashed the charges of bribery against Rajiv Gandhi citing inadequate evidence that any of the commission was actually paid to him.
Other suspects in the scandal included Quattrocchi, an Indian arms agent called Win Chadha and Martin Ardbo, the Bofors chief.
