Manoj Warrier, Niira’s business associate, gives her the low-down on his chat with Reliance’s PMS Prasad. On the matter of raging rumours about a settlement between the Ambani brothers, Warrier reports what Prasad says happened in a conversation with Petroleum Minister Murli Deora — that the news about the Ambani brothers arriving at a settlement out-of-court was leaked by Deora (“too much pressure is being built”) in order to “deflect” the media’s attention from the real matter—the dividing up of resources including gas. Manoj Warier says: “I (PMS Prasad) was sitting with him (Deora) and he (Deora) said that you know there is too much pressure being built so let me deflect it, let me say, ‘settlement’.”
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Post Script: From Outlook print:
‘Deora Said, There Is Too Much Pressure...Let The Media Get Diverted’
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Radia talks to Warrier, who refers to a conversation he had with Reliance’s P.M.S. Prasad. On the matter of raging rumours about a settlement between the Ambani brothers, Warrier reports what Prasad says happened in a conversation with petroleum minister Murli Deora—who leaked it to the media (“too much pressure being built”) in order to “deflect” attention from the real matter—the dividing up of resources, including gas.
Manoj Warrier: The other is, then he (P.M.S. Prasad) said that you know, that we should tighten our intelligence a little more. You know this entire settlement story, you know where it is coming from? Murli Deora has given this story... I (Prasad) was sitting with him (Deora) and he (Deora) said that you know there is too much pressure being built, so let me deflect it, let me say, “settlement”. So I told him ‘Uncle kyon kar rahe ho aap aise’? So he said, no-no, there is too much pressure being built, so let the media get diverted a little. I (Manoj) said I’m not...Sir I’m not sure whether, I mean...I’m sure that is true. But I also can tell you that Y.P. Trivedi has been talking, saying that he is going to ask Mukesh to look into how he can settle this issue. So he said ‘OK’. Then he said that you know, Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Chalsani are not talking to the press. Hmm...Amitabh is away in the US, and Chalsani is somewhere in Vijayawada on a holiday.
NR: Chalsani is...?
MW: Away in...
NR: Is where?
MW: Vijayawada. On a holiday...
NR: Manoj? Hello?
