RIL apologises to Chidambaram

The apology came following a legal notice slapped by the minister.  RIL Group President V Balasubramanian, responding to the notice,  admitted in a letter to the minister's lawyer that one of its employees - K R Raja - had in a private telephonic conversation with lobbyist Niira Radia “made certain remarks which were unjustified, unwarranted and derogatory in nature”.

Home minister himself made this public as he dismissed the allegations that he was a beneficiary in the 2G scam. Chidambaram said that the statements attributed to the RIL employee (K Ramachandran Raja) were “totally false, per se defamatory and reckless gossip”. Balasubramanian said that Raja had been severely reprimanded for his “irresponsible and baseless statement”. As a corporate entity RIL tendered its “profuse apology” and regretted the incident.

Tendering a separate apology, Raja wrote to the Home Minister's lawyer that during a "private conversation on one-to-one basis" with Radia he had made certain remarks without any basis or justification which were derogatory in nature relating to Chidambaram.

He, therefore, tendered an "unqualified and profound" apology for having made the remarks "in the heat of the moment without realising the implications and without any expectation of the remarks being recorded or coming in public domain." The minister said he was aware that sections of the media have carried a report on a conversation between 'Raja' and Niira Radia. and that a recording of that conversation also exists.

“I have made some enquiries. I have learned that the 'Raja' who figures in the conversation is one Shri K Ramachandran Raja (Shri K R Raja), an employee of M/s Reliance Industries Limited. The statements attributed to the said K Ramachandran Raja are totally false and per se defamatory. The conversation between him and Ms Radia is reckless and malicious gossip.

“I know that my friend Shri Prakash Javadekar, spokesperson of the BJP, will be disappointed. I offer him my sympathies,” he said.