Gadkari, Jaiswal among politicians who enjoyed favours by Essar group
The news report also names then coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Motilal Vora and BJP's Varun Gandhi among the politicians who often referred individuals for jobs in the company.
The Centre for Public Interest Litigation is likely to file a PIL in the Supreme Court detailing how steel and energy giant Essar Group cultivated people occupying powerful and influential positions in political and government circles to push their business interests.
According to a news report carried by the Indian Express, the allegations in the PIL are based on the company's internal correspondences including emails and memos referring to meetings with powerful politicians and journalists.
The report says that the Essar Group's communications, which form part of the PIL, show that BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, his wife, two sons and daughter spent two nights on the company's luxury yacht then stationed in the waters of the French Riviera between July 7 and July 9, 2013.
During this period Gadkari was not a Union Minister and had stepped down as the BJP chief. Ahead of Gadkari's visit, a senior Essar executive, in an email to the yacht captain, told that, "are very important people...see they are comfortable."
However, when contacted by the Indian Express over the issue, Gadkari said: "I was going to Norway with my family and all air tickets and hotel bills for the holiday were paid by me. I did take a ride on the yacht of the Ruia family and that is because I have known the Ruias for over 25 years."
The report also names then coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Motilal Vora, then MP Yashbant Narayan Singh Laguri and BJP's Varun Gandhi among the politicians who often referred individuals for jobs in the company.
A mail, from a senior company executive, suggests that 200 slots be earmarked for VIP referrals and a separate data bank maintained.
In another mail, which is part of the PIL, a senior Essar executive suggests that the company gift 200 high-end cell phones to top bureaucrats and MPs.
Essar executives also arranged cabs for some Delhi-based journalists, in one case for 10 days.