From Singur, Mistry, Tata Tapes to Wadia — controversies during Ratan Tata’s tenure

File photograph of Mamata Banerjee addressing a assemblage extracurricular the Tata works successful Singur. (Express Archives)

Cyrus Mistry issue

In mid-2012, Cyrus Mistry of the Pallonji Mistry group, a stakeholder successful Tata Sons, was chosen by a enactment sheet to caput the Tata Group and took complaint successful December that year. However, things took a crook for the worse and Mistry’s narration with Tata soured connected assorted issues similar enlargement and diversification.  On October 24, 2016, the committee of Tata Sons removed Mistry arsenic the Chairman of Tata Sons. Mistry had raised a bid of superior allegations against the wide functioning of the group, “total deficiency of firm governance” and “the nonaccomplishment connected the portion of the directors to discharge the fiduciary work owed to the stakeholders of the group”.  This was stoutly rejected by the Tata group. Both the sides — the Tatas and Mistrys — were engaged successful levelling charges and allegations against each other.

Nusli Wadia fight

Bombay Dyeing main Nusli Wadia and Ratan Tata were adjacent friends for galore decades. However, their narration soured successful 2016 during the Cyrus Mistry episode. In December 2016, Tata Sons removed Wadia from the boards of Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Tata Chemicals aft Wadia supported Cyrus Mistry against his ouster from Tata Sons. Wadia filed civilian and transgression defamation lawsuits against Tata, Tata Sons and different directors and sought Rs 3,000 crore successful damages. However, Supreme Court intervened and asked Wadia and Tata to resoluteness the contented retired of court. Wadia withdrew each defamation cases against Tata but their relationship remained broken.

Tata Tapes controversy

In October 1997, The Indian Express had published transcripts of telephonic conversations industrialist Nusli Wadia had with Ratan Tata, industrialist Keshub Mahindra and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw regarding problems Tata Tea had with the Assam authorities which accused the institution of being manus successful mitt with panic outfit the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The Tatas were cited arsenic trying to get the Union authorities intervene successful the substance arsenic the ULFA was trying to extort wealth from beverage companies operating successful the state. Tata Tea said it was not alert of ULFA transportation and claimed it provided fiscal assistance arsenic portion of a aesculapian assistance strategy for the Assamese people.

Radia Tapes

In November 2010, telephone conversations betwixt firm lobbyist Nira Radia and assorted industrialists, politicians, journalists and bureaucrats were leaked to the press. These conversations led to allegations of misconduct and came amidst allegations against erstwhile telecom curate A Raja, who was 1 of the main accused successful the 2G telecom scam case, who was subsequently exonerated. One of the industrialists whom Radia spoke to was Ratan Tata, and the Group was linked to efforts by lobbyists to power policymaking. After the merchandise of these tapes, Tata went to tribunal seeking a restraint connected the media from carrying immoderate much specified tapes.