Mumbai: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, confronting allegations that he and his family enjoyed a chopper ride and a luxury cruise on a yacht owned by the Essar Group, today denied any wrongdoing and remarked: "There is no other way to reach the yacht. I can't go swimming there."
The allegations were made in the Indian Express newspaper, which today cited a series of emails revealing alleged favours granted to politicians, bureaucrats and journalists by the Essar Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests in steel, energy and infrastructure.
"Me or my family have never traveled using corporate money. Till date I have never taken any corporate money, ticket or sponsorship," Mr Gadkari, who is the Road Transport minister, said at a press conference.
The newspaper report said according to the leaked emails, Mr Gadkari went on a private cruise on the Essar luxury Raft Sunrays while vacationing in Europe with his family in July 7-9 2013. Mr Gadkari had stepped down as BJP president six months before that.
The emails allegedly indicated that the yacht stay in the French Riviera was arranged at the minister's request.
Mr Gadkari told NDTV: "Two years ago we had gone to Norway. When Essar found out they told me they had a yacht off the coast of France and invited me to see it. I got off at Frankfurt, booked my own tickets and hotel and went there. I stayed there for two nights and left on the third day."
In a
statement, the Essar group said the article was based on information that was "stolen or fabricated."
"We are a law abiding company and responsible corporate citizen and have not indulged any wrong doing," a spokesperson said, adding that the company had initiated strong action against those suspected in the theft of its documents.
A petition filed at the Supreme Court today by the Centre for Public interest litigation seeks an investigation into the alleged link between ministers, corporates and the media.