INDIA, 87th in Transparency International's rankings based on perceived levels of corruption, is no stranger to scandals.

Here are some of the biggest in the last two decades

2010 — Loan Bribery Case The case broke after a year of investigation on Nov 24 when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested eight people, accusing them of bribery for corporate loans.

The arrests included the chief executive of state-run mortgage lender LIC Housing Finance and senior officials at state-run Central Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India.

The bribes were allegedly paid by private finance firm Money Matters Financial Services, which acted as a “mediator and facilitator” for the loan beneficiaries, the CBI said.

2010 — Telecoms Licence Row Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja was sacked after a report by India's state auditor said his ministry sold licences and spectrum below market prices, depriving the government of up to $39bn in revenues.

In its report, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said rules were flouted when the licences were given in 2007-08.

2010 — Commonwealth Games Allegations of corruption over the international sporting event that took place in Delhi in October are being investigated by several bodies including the anti-corruption watchdog.

The Congress-party led coalition government came under fierce criticism for mismanagement and ineptitude over the sporting extravaganza which cost up to $6bn. More than 16 projects identified with possible irregularities.

2010 — Housing Scam Congress party politicians, bureaucrats and military officials have been accused of taking over land meant for building apartments for war widows. The CBI has begun investigating the case.

Local media say apartments with a value of $1.8m were sold for as little as $130,000 each in the apartment block, which faces the Arabian Sea in one of the world's most expensive stretches of real estate in Mumbai.

2009 — Satyam The founder of Satyam Computer Services, one of India's top software firms, resigned in January 2009 after admitting profits were falsely inflated for years.

The fraud, estimated at $1bn, was India's largest corporate scandal and was dubbed “India's Enron”.

1992 — Securities Scam Several Indian stockbrokers were accused of siphoning off over Rs35bn ($778m) of funds, mostly from inter-bank transactions, to fuel a rise in the Mumbai stock market in 1992. It involved top officers of state-run and foreign banks and financial institutions, bureaucrats and politicians.

1986 — Bofors Gun Deal India's purchase of artillery guns from Swedish firm Bofors in 1986 was rocked by allegations that Rs640m ($14.2m) — a huge sum then — was paid as bribes to people close to then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to swing the deal.

The scandal caused an uproar in parliament, led to a split in the ruling Congress party and the defeat of Gandhi in federal elections in 1989.

Amongst the people probed were the London-based Indian business family of the Hindujas, who were later acquitted by a court of any involvement.

Defendants, including the family of Gandhi who died in a bomb attack in 1991, deny paying or receiving any bribes.—Reuters