Hours after Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani was indicted in New York over his role in an alleged multibillion-dollar bribery and fraud scheme, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday made a big claim against him.
The AAP leader said that the Adani group tried to enter Delhi’s power sector but was stopped by then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. He stressed the need for accountability after industrialist Gautam Adani was charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud.
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) in bribes to Indian officials in exchange for favorable 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.
The charges were, however, denied by the Adani group. The group dubbed the allegations baseless, saying that the conglomerate is compliant with all laws. It also stated that all possible legal recourse will be sought.
While addressing a press conference, the AAP MP 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, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Singh also warned people that if the BJP gains power in the national capital, electricity costs could surge.
“We will not keep quiet and will raise this matter with full force in the upcoming session of Parliament,” Singh added.
Reacting to the charges made by the US prosecutors, a spokesperson of the Adani group said, “The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied.”
The spokesperson pointed to the US Department of Justice statement that said, “The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
“The Adani Group has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency, and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations. We assure our stakeholders, partners, and employees that we are a law-abiding organization, fully compliant with all laws,” the spokesperson added.