The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said it would look into the “facts and circumstances” of the Bofors scandal mentioned by private detective Michael Hershman, who told the Republic World television channel that the Rajiv Gandhi government had sabotaged his investigation, PTI reported.

Hershman, who is the president of the United States detective agency Fairfax, had also claimed in television interviews that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was “furious” when the detective reportedly found a Swiss bank account in which bribe money from the Bofors scandal was parked. Hershman also told DNA that he was offered bribes, twice to stop the investigation and once to “damage the reputation of [former Prime Minister VP Singh”.

“The agency has learnt of the matter pertaining to Bofors containing the interview of Michael Hershman,” CBI information officer and spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said. “Facts and circumstances as mentioned in the interview will be looked into as per due process by the CBI.” Hershman, in the interviews, expressed his willingness to help Indian agencies in the Bofors case.