The Essar Tapes allegations shocked many, not without reason. They purport to reveal conversations between political and corporate power brokers as they exert behind-the-scenes influence over the country’s affairs.
The Quint has exclusive access to the transcripts of these incendiary tapes. Here are transcripts of the phone conversations between a Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) big wig and an ex-cabinet minister of the Vajpayee regime.
The subject of these conversations shows how cosily governments and corporates interact and transact, in order to ensure the smooth functioning of these companies.
Conversation: Ex-cabinet minister and RIL Employee
In this conversation, an ex-cabinet minister is talking to a senior RIL employee about the infighting between Telecom companies. The minister also assures to give an extension to the bureaucrat if it it suits Reliance Industries Limited.
Ex-Cabinet Miniter: Satish.
RIL Employee: Haan ji bhai saab (Yes Sir).
Ex Cabinet Minister- Mai abhi aeroplane mein baitha hoon, Hydrabad nikal raha hoon. Maine abhi phone isliye kiya tha ki mujhe kal din bhar aapka khass friend jo aapka IUC wala dekhta hai vo chaiye. (I am in the flight and leaving for Hyderabad. I have called you to say that I want your guy for the whole day tomorrow, the one who looks after IUC (Interconnectivity Usage Charge).
RIL Employee: Kitne baje chaiye sir? (What time do you want him, Sir?)
Ex Cabinet Minister: Wahi 9-10 baje tak a jaye kyunki abhi tho mai Hydrabad jaa raha hoon, waha se raat mein 9 baje niklunga, raat mein aa jaunga Delhi toh aap 10-11 baje tak aayenge to chal jayega. (Around 9-10 o’clock, as I am leaving for Hyderabad. I will start from Hyderabad around 9pm and reach Delhi around 10-11pm. Will that work?)
RIL Employee: Ghar per hi a jaun ya vahan aa jaun... (Should I come to your residence, or come there?)
Ex Cabinet Minister: Nahi aap vaha aa jaiye…. nahi koi baat nahi, aap aa kar mujhe phone kariyega… formal level pe bhi ambition ye hai ki bhai 2 paisa idhar-udhar karke humko sab ye jhagde ka regime band karna chaiye. Aur ekk aisa hum next inter connectivity usage charge bana denge jo sabko thoda-thoda karke ekk baar accept ho jaye, maine Sunil Mittal ko bhi kaha hai, mujhe lagta hai ki then we are off it...( No you come there...you come and call me. With slightly less profit here and there, we should stop fighting. We will formulate next inter connectivity usage charge in such a manner that everyone will accept it gradually. I have spoken to Sunil Mittal as well.)
RIL Employee- Haan ji, barabar sir… (Right Sir)
Ex Cabinet Minister: Aur meri ambition tho ye hai ki Saturday morning ko, yani ki kal, hum kisi natije per aye toh Friday ko hum announce karne ko bolein TRAI ko aur Saturday morning ko mai ek Press Conference baithane vala hoon aur aapke boss ko bhi bulane vala hoon jisme hum bata denge ki Telecom ke sare dispute khatam ho gaye hain. Everybody is there to stay, these are the charges, these are the rates, now the profits are going to government, aur jo spectrum aur revenue sharing mein jo kuch kammi ho rahi hai vegera-vegera wo hum dekh lenge…..( My ambition is that by Saturday morning, which is tomorrow, we should arrive at some solution. We can tell TRAI to announce it on Friday and Saturday. I can do a press conference. I plan to call your boss as well, so that we can tell everyone that disputes among Telecom companies has come to rest. Everybody is there to stay, these are the charges, these are the rates, now the profits are going to government. We can check the spectrum and revenue sharing differences later.)
RIL Employee- Barabar sir. (Right sir.)
Ex Cabinet Minister: Uss hisab se aapka aur bhi koi ho jo deal karta ho usko kaho, aur agar mere plan ke hisab se chale tho aap shanivar ke liye khali rakhna, apne boss ko bhi khali rakhna. (Tell your person who deals with this issue (inter connectivity usage charge) to keep himself free on Saturday. Also tell your boss to be free.)
RIL Employee: Jarur sir…. Sir ye kya TRAI mein kuch extension de rahe hain kya RN Prasad (former Telecom Commission member) ko aap? (Sure Sir. Are you giving extension to RN Prasad?)
Ex-Cabinet Minister: Abhi kuch nahi hum diye hain, agar aapka theek dhang se karenge aur humara right hoga tho extension Saturday ko karenge. (As of now we haven’t done anything. If he takes care of you, and if we get it right then I will give him extension on Saturday.)
RIL Employee: Karega sir, RN Prasad pakka karega, usne message bheja tha boss ke through…(RN Prasad will do it for sure. He sent a message through my boss.)
Ex-Cabinet Minister: Nahi-nahi meri aapke boss se baat hui thi naa, yaa kal aaoge tho baat karte hain, abhi tho maine puri file padha hi nahi hai. ( No no, I spoke to your boss. We will talk when you come tomorrow. As of now I haven’t read the file.)
RIL Employee: Theek hai sir…(OK Sir)
Ex-Cabinet Minister: Subah mai vo Parliament mein tha aur abhi mai Hydrabad jaa raha hoon...( I was in the Parliament this morning and now I am going to Hyderabad.
RIL Employee- No problem.
Ex-Cabinet Minister: Toh kal aap a jaiye, hum aapko bulate rahenge, Ajay ji ke contact mein rahiye, aapke boss ko Saturday ko khali rakhiye, mera kya hai ki mai thoda kal Pradhan Mantri ko milne gaya tha, tho mere ko lagga ki unka impression thoda aisa hai ki tum Telecom Minister ho, ye log aapas mein aise itna kaise jhagad rahe hain, tum control nahi kar paa rahe ho…. tho mai chahta hoon ki unke liye ekk united picture de do…( You come tomorrow, we will keep on calling you. Be in touch with Ajay ji, tell your boss to be free on Saturday. I met Prime Minister yesterday. I felt that he has an impression that Telecom companies are fighting amongst each other and I am unable to control them. Now I want to change his impression.)
RIL Employee: Haan bhaut badiyan ho jayega sir... (Very good sir)
Ex-Cabinet Minister- Usme toh aapka bhi sahyog rahega aur 2 paisa aapka bhi ghatega toh no issue…(I need your support for this. If you have to face minor loss then it should not be an issue.)
RIL Employee: No problem sir.
Ex-Cabinet Minister: Theek hai, toh phir kal aap aa jaiyega aur aapka koi saath deta hai tho usko bhi bula lijiyega…(OK, come tomorrow, and bring people who support you.)
RIL Employee- Okay sir, thank you…
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