Montreal construction entrepreneur Tony Accurso is suing Radio-Canada for defamation. (CBC)

A construction entrepreneur tied to two political scandals in Montreal is weighing in for the first time.

Tony Accurso is suing CBC’s French-language network for defamation and is also denying allegations he met with three provincial cabinet ministers on board his yacht.

The businessman has filed legal papers against Radio-Canada, arguing the public broadcaster infringed on his right to privacy by broadcasting a report in September alleging corruption.

The report, produced by journalist Alain Gravel, alleged Accurso has powerful ties with politicians and union organizations in Quebec.

The lawsuit states that Radio-Canada and Gravel attacked Accurso’s reputation in bad faith and without justification.

Accurso has asked for $2 million in damages to his reputation, and $500,000 in punitive damages.

He has also asked that Radio-Canada and Gravel issue public apologies.

The report aired Sept. 24.

Denies meeting with ministers

In a statement issued Friday, Accurso also “vehemently” denied accusations made Thursday by interim Action Démocratique du Québec leader Sylvie Roy in the provincial legislature.

Without naming names or citing her source, Roy alleged three cabinet ministers had vacationed on board Accurso’s boat.

Government house leader Jacques Dupuis accused Roy of abusing her parliamentary immunity from defamation lawsuits.

Later Friday, Premier Jean Charest also denied Roy’s allegations, saying his chief of staff had verified the information with the people concerned — Transport Minister Julie Boulet; Junior Transport Minister Norman MacMillan and former labour minister David Whissell.

The accusations emerged in the wake of new revelations about Accurso’s involvement with Quebec politics.

Montreal’s former municipal opposition leader, Benoit Labonté, admitted last week to accepting $100,000 from Accurso to fund his bid last year for the leadership of his civic party. The admission has all but destroyed Labonté’s political career. He was forced to pull out of the upcoming municipal election and resigned from his party, Vision Montreal.

Accurso was also named during Montreal’s water-meter scandal earlier this year. The former president of Montreal’s executive committee, Frank Zampino, admitted to vacationing with Accurso during the tender process for the city’s lucrative water-meter contract.

One of Accurso’s construction companies was part of the winning consortium’s bid. That contract has since been cancelled.

Around the same time, RCMP officers raided the offices of one of Accurso's companies as part of an investigation into corruption at the Canada Revenue Agency.

On Thursday, the province announced the creation of a special police squad to investigate allegations of collusion in the construction industry.