Minister asked Rs 15 crore bribe: Ratan Tata

Dehra Dun, Nov 15: When Ratan Tata tried to set up a domestic airlines in collaboration with Singapore Airlines, a minister asked Rs 15 crore bribe from him, disclosed the chairperson of Tata Groups Ratan Tata.

During a meeting on Nov 15, Ratan Tata said, "We approached three Prime Ministers also. But an individual thwarted our efforts to form the airlines."

Mr Tata recalled another industrialist's comment, "I don't understand. You people are very stupid, you know the minister wants 15 crores. Why don't you pay it?"

Tata also stated that in replying to the industrialist's question, he answered, "You can't understand it. I just want to go to bed at night."

"Knowing that I haven't got the airline by paying for it. And I can tell you I would have been feeling tremendously shameful had we got the airline and we had paid for it," he added in his reply.

In the mid-90s, the Tatas tried to set up a domestic airline in collaboration with Singapore Airlines.

OneIndia News