Industrialist Gautam Adani. File
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) must be directed to immediately file a case based on the material provided by the prosecution in the United States against industrialist Gautam Adani for allegedly bribing public servants in India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
Also Read: Why Gautam Adani was indicted in the U.S. over alleged $250mn bribery scheme?
“It is shameful that such large-scale bribery and suborning of government officials by the Adanis had to be exposed not in India but in the United States through their criminal justice system,” the CPI (M) said in a statement, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting the industrialist. “Prime Minister Modi himself had shielded Adani from any enquiry or prosecution on the charges emanating from the Hindenburg expose,” it added.
CPI general secretary D. Raja said that the indictment calls into question not just the personal integrity of Mr. Adani and his business empire but also the integrity of Indian watchdogs and the administration under which such unethical practices are flourishing. “From favourable policies to high-profile infrastructure deals, there is widespread public perception of the complicity of Prime Minister Modi. Repeated calls for investigation of all allegations — whether linked to bribery, stock manipulation, or regulatory failures — have fallen on the deaf ears of the Modi government. Only through a fair, unbiased probe can the truth be uncovered,” he said.
‘Remove SEBI chief’
If the Modi government does not order an immediate probe, the Supreme Court of India must take suo moto cognisance of this serious indictment, said CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, noting that it has huge adverse implications for India’s international image and the interest of India’s domestic economy. Mr. Bhattacharya also demanded the immediate removal of SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, who has been accused of having links to Adani irregularities.
Against the backdrop of Mr. Adani’s indictment in the U.S., senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed that the Adani group had tried to enter Delhi’s power sector as well, but had been stopped by then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In a press conference, Mr. Singh claimed that Adani Green Energy had secured power supply contracts in several States, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, through unethical means.
“Adani even attempted to enter Delhi’s electricity market but failed because then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stopped them,” he said, warning people that if the BJP gains power in Delhi, electricity costs could surge. “We will not keep quiet and will raise this matter with full force in the upcoming session of Parliament,” Mr. Singh added.
Taking a dig at the government of India, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale said that while the markets are reacting to the news of the indictment, with Adani Energy’s stock prices falling, the government was “silent”.
Published – November 21, 2024 08:41 pm IST
