Radia Tapes controversy: Who is Niira Radia?

Niira
Radia, a public relations professional-turned-corporate lobbyist, is the name behind
the infamous Radia Tapes. The Radia Tapes refer to a series of recorded
conversations between public relations executive Niira Radia and a host of
politicians, bureaucrats and journalists. The tapes included 5,000 conversations
recorded between 2007 to 2009. The Radia tapes case was investigated by the
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Indian Supreme Court was scheduled
to hear the matter Thursday, September 1, 2022. The last ‘effective’ hearing in
the Radia tapes case took place on April 24, 2014, a Times of India report
said.

Who is
Niira Radia?

Niira Radia
was born Nira Menon on November 19, 1960 in Kenya capital Nairobi. Her parents
were from Punjab, India. She did much of her education in the United Kingdom
(UK). In 1981, the 22-year-old Niira Menon married Janak Radia to become Niira
Radia. Starting out as a travel agent, Radia sought to enter India’s aviation
market by introducing a low-cost airline carrier competing against the
state-owned Air India following India’s liberalisation.

While Radia’s
idea for a low-cost airline, did not really fly, she became increasingly close
to BJP leader Ananth Kumar, who was the then civil aviation minister, media
reports say. It was Radia’s association with the Karnataka BJP leader that
allowed Niira Radia to enjoy the clout. Further, Niira was also a good friend
of Rao Dheeraj Singh, grandnephew of former Haryana Chief Minister Rao Birendra
Singh.

Niira and
Rao Dheeraj met in 1994. Radia had just joined Sahara Airlines and Rao Dheeraj
was already working there as an air traffic supervisor. The two turned allies
and Dheeraj reportedly took Niira and her sister Karuna to Zurich, Switzerland
to open bank accounts to deposit money accruing from profitable deals. The two
later fell out when Radia accused Dheeraj of kidnapping her 18-year-old son, a
case that landed Dheeraj in jail for two years.

Niira Radia
subsequently set up Vaishnavi Communications Pvt Ltd in 2001. She enlisted a
number of former bureaucrats to work for her. After the Radia Tapes
controversy, in which Niira’s communications with several high-level
politicians, bureaucrats and senior journalists were recorded and later made
public, Niira Radia shut down Vaishnavi Communications. The Radia Tapes became
critical in CBI’s probe into the 2G spectrum scam.