Rumours in the block dismissed: Sultan of Brunei bid for the Sahara Group hotels
A spokesman for the Sultan of Brunei dismissed a report by the Wall Street Journal online that he had made a bid for New York’s Plaza Hotel, Dream Hotel and London’s Grosvenor House hotel. These hotels are owned by Subrata Roy, the jailed chief of the Sahara Group.
The Sultan of Brunei is one of the world’s wealthiest men who is sitting on an island of oil. However he is not in the race for buying the landmark New York and London properties. The properties; the Plaza and Grosvenor Hotel, are on the market in a distress sale initiated by India’s Sahara Group.
A spokesman for the Sultan dismissed stories, first reported in the Wall Street Journal and subsequently picked up by other publications. They dismissed the stories that the Sultan had made a bid on the properties, the sale of which is expected to furnish what amounts to a bail to free Sahara chairman Subrata Roy from prison in India.
A spokesman at Bell Pottinger, acting on behalf of the Sultan of Brunei, wrote in an email that Neither His Majesty, the Brunei Investment Agency, nor the government of Brunei are involved in any way in the purchase of these properties owned by Roy.
The Journal story made headlines in India, where Sahara is best known as the long-time former main sponsor of India’s national cricket team.
Source- The Times of India
Brunei Investment Agency, Dream Hotel, New York's Plaza Hotel, Sahara Group, sahara group hotels, Subrata Roy, Wall Street Journal
