Denying that he indulged in any wrongdoing or conflict of interest by flying to or staying at the Essar’s luxury yacht stationed in the waters of French Riviera in July 2013, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said here on Friday that he had paid entirely for his and family members’ trip to Norway and that he had not received any favour from any corporate house.

Reacting to a news report appearing in “The Indian Express” that suggested that he was one of the beneficiaries of the favours showered by the Essar Group, Gadkari said: “Neither family or I have undertaken any trip paid by a corporate house. Two years ago, I had gone to Norway along with family on a private vacation. En route, I was invited by Essar people to visit their yacht stationed in sea waters nearby. (My family members and) I halted at Frankfurt, stayed there in a hotel at our cost. From there (my family members and) I went to the yacht on an evening, stayed there for a day and left from there the third morning”.

Maintaining that he had visited the yacht as he had not been such a vessel before, Gadkari said: “I had gone to the yacht at the invitation of Essar people... Even I have gone to the penthouse of the Indian Express in the past for a lunch. Since I am person easily accessible to people on ground, I go wherever I am invited. You know I have been to many of your houses as well. In addition, I have a fancy to visit new places or see new things (that’s why I accepted Essar’s invitation to visit their yacht).”