Exclusive: The Explosive Conversations from Essar’s Phone Taps

The complaint to the PMO alleges that the conversations expose a political-corporate nexus.

The Supreme Court lawyer, Suren Uppal wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on 1 June, with 29 pages of allegations regarding corruption and a “political-corporate nexus” in government between 2001 and 2006. Along with this complaint, Uppal attached a caution notice that he had reportedly sent on Khan’s behalf to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).

On 10 March, Uppal had allegedly sent the caution notice to RIL, which documented several tapped conversations. Khan has, however, recently distanced himself from his lawyer after the phone tapping was reported in the media. He claims that he never hired Uppal as his lawyer, although Uppal maintains that he did.

The Quint has gained exclusive access to the caution notice sent to RIL on 10 March.

The Contents of the Caution Notice

These are some of the allegations that were mentioned in the caution notice:

• On 1 December 2002, an attempt was made by a businessperson and a government official to collude on manipulating a case that was before the Supreme Court.
  
  
• An attempt was made to influence the duration of a government official’s appointment, by sending letters on behalf of a number of other senior government officials and politicians in support.
  

• In another conversation, an attempt was made to break up an industry lobby by offering a Rs 100 crore bribe to a politician who was a member of the body.
  
  
• On 22 November 2002, an attempt was made to avoid paying a necessary licence fee to the government by suggesting that a particular file be removed from the records, in connivance with government officials.
  
  
• An admission was made that a competing businessperson was being deliberately stopped from influencing or lobbying government officials.
  
  
• On 5 August 2002, an admission was made that a government official and a businessperson were colluding to grant favours to a telecom company by conferring undue benefits upon one of its subsidiaries in a proposed disinvestment. An admission was made that over Rs 1000 crore had changed hands in the disinvestment. An attempt was also made to seek business favours from a government official.

Some other sensitive allegations mentioned in the caution notice are as follows:

• On 29 January 2003, it was admitted that a businessperson and government official had colluded to manipulate the outcome of a murder case. It was further admitted that a company had mitigated political fallout from the case with help from the leader of a prominent political party.
  
  

• In conversations between a government official and a businessperson, an attempt was made to ensure the continuance of a ministerial post through the businessperson’s political influence.
  
  

• A conversation between two businesspeople regarding a particular scam incriminated both, as they expressed that an enquiry would land them in trouble.
  

The veracity of these tapes have not been authenticated as of yet. Uppal has said that if the PMO refuses to act on the complaint, he will be forced to move a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court, seeking a proper investigation into the matter.

RIL has responded to the caution notice with strong denials of the allegations. It must be noted, however, that the denials have come only after reports of Uppal’s complaint to the PMO were put out by the media on 17 June – almost 3 months after the same was sent to RIL.

Reliance Statement

Here is an excerpt of the RIL statement released on 17 June:

We are shocked at reports which suggest that we have been victims of unauthorised and illegal tapping of our telephones [...] We also expect the authorities to verify the truth of these allegations and take action against these malicious falsehoods. We will render full co-operation to any authority in ascertaining the truth and remain confident of demonstrating that the salacious allegations are false and at all times, we have abided by the law.

Reliance Statement to Media