Bharti group donated Rs 31 cr to Satya Electoral Trust in FY15

Trust claims it is independent of Bharti Group, and that its total collection from India Inc in FY 15 was Rs 141 cr

Bharti group contributed Rs 31 crore out of the Rs 141 crore that Satya Electoral Trust collected from companies for political donations in 2014-15 fiscal, the Trust said today.

"We are an independent Trust and not a Bharti Group Trust," said Mukul Goyal, Director, Satya Electoral Trust.

In 2014-15 fiscal, "Bharti Group had contributed only Rs 31 crore to our trust, out of a total of approximately Rs 141 crore worth of contributions received by us from various corporates," he said in a statement.

The corporates making the contributions included Hero MotoCorp, Jubiliant Foodworks, GMMCO, National Engineering Industries, Orient Cement, DLF, JK Tyres and Industries, Indiabulls Housing Finance and Kalpataru Power Transmission.

"A total of 17 corporates contributed during the year 2014-15. These contributions were utilised for giving political donations across political parties during the said year," he added.

Satya Electoral Trust was floated in 2013 and has several North India-based business groups as donors. BJP has been the biggest beneficiary of donations from this trust.