For one-and-a-half hours, he fielded every question with unblinking savoir-faire, punctuating his answers with loud—and sometimes dismissive—laughter.
Sitting in the ultra-plush conference room on the Sahara campus outside Delhi, Subrata Roy oozed confidence and anger at being "wrongly victimised" by Income Tax officials. For one-and-a-half hours, he fielded every question with unblinking savoir-faire, punctuating his answers with loud—and sometimes dismissive—laughter. Excerpts:
On the tax evasion charges:
The Income Tax people thought they could do what they liked. They would slap cases on us, then we would have to go to the tribunal, the high court. And then we would come out victorious. We spent our money, energy. Why? Because we have to fulfil your revenue targets? Sahara has not done one rupee of No 2 business, this is our challenge. We have become a big fish in a small pond. All their efforts, minds and energies are targeted towards Sahara (guffaws). Even today, we have about Rs 90 crore with them. Actually, I will not blame them that they are against Sahara in particular. No. Probably, circumstances demand that.
On alleged deposits made by politicians and bureaucrats:
We found out. As far as I know, they have not made any deposits. If anyone has deposited Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000, I don't know. After all, we have over 1.35 crore depositors. Actually, it would have been better if I announced that they are depositing money with us. Isn't it good for us?
On the 1996 Lok Sabha elections controversy:
Raj (Babbar, who stood against Atal Behari Vajpayee from Lucknow) was all along a good friend in good weather. He never wanted to contest this election because he was hardly one year old in Rajya Sabha...and then they talked of rigging and all, and then there was so many things, so much polarisation of people, administration, media. My god, it was such a nasty thing. The court has already dismissed the case. And now we are in the court against the administration. And we are going to see that all those senior officials (who charged that Roy had tried to rig the elections for Babbar) are going to be punished. We are dragging them.
On rumours that he has underworld links:
(Laughs) Media has made me several things. I have links with Dawood? Yes, yes, (sarcastically) sab links hain (there are links). Media can paint anybody anything. Indian media can paint Phoolan Devi as a heroine or as a good person.
On his personal wealth:
Right from 1978 to this day, I am leading the organisation. Everyone must be thinking I am a man of several crores in my personal capacity. But altogether in my family, including my wife's jewellery, mother's jewellery...here, there, everywhere...it will not cross Rs 5 lakh. All the depositors' money is only meant for Sahara India's commercial activities and not a single rupee out of it has been paid for any direct or indirect personal need of any individual in the company. All the directors, including me, have taken oath in a court of law that nobody, no family member of the family can ever share profit or asset of the company. Why? Because we are humans yaar . The moment you become a millionaire, your psychology will change. That's why we went for this notary affidavit and all such things.