Ratan Tata named in Israeli PM Netanyahu bribery case; 'factually incorrect', says Tata Sons

Tata Sons has rejected Israeli media reports about Ratan Tata's alleged link to the graft-accused Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as ''factually incorrect.''

Jerusalem: Tata Sons has termed the media reports that its chairman Ratan Tata has been named in a corruption case involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "factually incorrect".

The clarification from the Tata Sons came after media reports claimed that its chairman Ratan Tata's name figures in the Israeli Police's recommendations seeking to indict Netanyahu on bribery and breach of trust charges in two corruption cases.

In a statement, Tata Sons said, ''the media report about Rata Tata is factually incorrect.''

The Israeli Police made this recommendation after a year-long investigation into allegations that PM Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, accepted gifts from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.

There were suspicions that the Israeli leader also offered to give preferential treatment to a newspaper publisher in exchange for favorable coverage.

Ratan Tata is alleged to have been part of a project that Netanyahu tried to push forward to help Milchan, reports said. 

The project, which came under the scanner, would have generated both Milchan and Tata a huge profit, the reports said.

However, the project was later scrapped because of its escalating cost to the Israeli government. 

"According to the Israeli Police, the most glaring example of Netanyahu working against Israel's interests to benefit Milchan was his efforts (to) promote a free trade zone on the Israel-Jordan border, a project the Hollywood producer sought to promote as part of his partnership with Indian Industrialist Ratan Naval Tata," Ynetnews had reported.

Israeli media too reported that the renowned Indian industrialist had also testified before the Israeli Police in connection to these allegations in October-November 2016.

However, Tata Sons issued a statement saying the ''the reports in Israeli media on the contents of the meeting between Ratan Tata and the Israeli officials are 'factually incorrect' and appear to have been motivated".