Kharge demands comprehensive JPC probe into all aspects of Adani group’s functioning

PTI New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said a comprehensive Joint Parliament Committee probe into all aspects of the Adani group’s functioning, including its investments in foreign countries, and institutional erosion in India is the need of the hour. This investigation should start with Adani, he said. Kharge’s remarks came after US prosecutors charged Adani and associates for allegedly paying USD 250 million in bribes to Indian officials. The Adani group denied the charges, saying the allegations were baseless and the conglomerate is compliant with all laws. Reacting to the development, the Congress president said when a top-ranking businessman is indicted by a foreign country, it tarnishes the country’s image on the global stage.

“The Congress has been continuously objecting to unethical business practices which profiteer and promote certain individuals by implementing Modi government’s policy of creating monopolies in key sectors and concentrating wealth in the hands of a few by giving undue favours,” Kharge said in a post on X. “This entire vicious nexus, involving cronies, compromised bureaucrats and certain politicians, created by PM Modi and Adani has to be investigated and dismantled,” he said in his post. Kharge said this nexus “severely hurts our people – poor and middle class, aspiring entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startups and crores of small and medium retail investors, for it widens inequalities by snatching savings and opportunities”. “Narendra Modi ji’s ‘Ek Hain, Toh SAFE Hain; is about ‘One Monopoly to protect the looted SAFE’,” the Congress president said.

“A comprehensive JPC, which not only investigates every aspect of the working of the Adani Group, the deliberate institutional erosion of the SEBI, SECI and government bodies, and the deals of Adani Group in foreign countries is the need of the hour. As Rahul Gandhi mentions, this investigation should start with Adani, Kharge asserted. “Only then, we as a country can ensure that the hard-earned money of our people remains SAFE, inequalities are reduced, our systems enable a conducive environment for market competition, become transparent and accountable and ignite the spirit entrepreneurship for all,” the Congress president said. The opposition party has been demanding a JPC probe into the Adani issue ever since Hindenburg came out with a report alleging irregularities.

CPI(M) demands CBI probe

The Narendra Modi government “cannot hide behind smokescreen anymore”, the CPI(M) said on Thursday and demanded a CBI probe into the bribery charges against Gautam Adani made by US prosecutors. The billionaire industrialist has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (about Rs 2,100 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.

This was concealed from the US banks and investors from whom the Adani group raised billions of dollars for the project, the prosecutors have alleged. US law allows pursuing foreign corruption allegations if they involve certain links to American investors or markets.

‘Group tried hand at Delhi power’

The Adani group tried to enter Delhi’s power sector but was stopped by then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed Thursday and stressed the need for accountability after industrialist Gautam Adani was charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud.

In a press conference, Singh claimed that Adani Green Energy 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 while warning people that if the BJP gains power in Delhi, electricity costs could surge.

Will Centre probe matter: Farooq

Srinagar, PTI: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the Centre should take the allegations against the Adani group seriously and investigate the matter thoroughly. The former chief minister said while he does not have much information about the issue related to the Adani group, there have been allegations of wrong doing earlier as well.

“If it has happened, it needs to be investigated,” he said. “There is a demand for JPC. I hope the Central government will take the issue seriously and investigate it thoroughly,” Abdullah told reporters. The billionaire industrialist has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over Rs 2,100 crore bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.