The push for greater integration between Japanese carmaker Nissan and its alliance partner Renault could have prompted the takedown plan of Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn. An email chain has now validated part of Ghosn's claims of a set-up by senior Nissan Motor executives to overthrow him.
The correspondence began more than a year before Ghosn was arrested in November 2018 on charges of financial misconduct, according to a Bloomberg report.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.
Ghosn declined to comment via a representative when contacted by Bloomberg. Lavanya Wadgaonkar, a spokesperson for Nissan, the Tokyo prosecutor's office and a representative for Renault also declined to comment.
Ghosn, who was also the CEO of Renault, has denied four of the charges against him.
Japan is seeking the extradition of Ghosn, who fled to Lebanon in December 2019.
The email chain that revealed an attempt to oust Ghosn dates back to February 2018, Bloomberg reported.
The report said Hari Nada, who ran Nissan's chief executive's office, in an email said Nissan should act to "neutralize his initiatives before it’s too late".
The email, written in mid-2018, was sent to Hitoshi Kawaguchi, a senior manager at Nissan responsible for government relations, sources told the news agency.
Nada declined to comment when contacted by Bloomberg, as did Kawaguchi, who left Nissan in December.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
