India, March 5 -- The Bofors kickbacks scandal of the 1980s, which saw then premier Rajiv Gandhi and others being accused of receiving payoffs from arms manufacturer AB Bofors in connection with the supply of 155 mm howitzers, is back in the news because of a new book and a judicial request to the US for information on the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sent a letter rogatory or judicial request to the US seeking information and evidence from private investigator Michael Hershman, who has expressed willingness to share fresh information about the alleged Rs.64-crore Bofors bribery scandal, which first came to light nearly 39 years ago.

A new book BoforsGate, written by journalist Chitra Subramaniam, claims senior In...