Charges against Adani in US: CPI(M) demands CBI probe, says Modi govt can't hide behind smokescreen

New Delhi: 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.

The Adani group, however, have denied the charges.

The Left Party said it is shameful that such large-scale bribery of government officials had to be exposed not in India but in the United States. The Narendra Modi government "cannot hide behind smokescreen anymore", the CPI(M) said and demanded that the CBI be directed to immediately file a case based on the material provided by the prosecution in the United States.

"Bribery of public servants comes under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which is under the remit of the CBI," the Left Party said.

In a statement, the CPI(M) said the indictment filed in a United States court by the Department of Justice against Gautam Adani and six others contained serious charges of the industrialist and his nephew Sagar Adani being involved in paying bribes to Indian government officials at the Centre and states level.

The indictment states that Rs 2,029 crore was offered or promised to Indian government officials to get state electricity distribution companies to execute power sale agreements for the supply of solar power, the party claimed.

It also said that evidence was collected from Sagar Adani, which provides specific details of the bribes offered and promised to government officials.

"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," CPI(M) said.

"Gautam Adani and his business empire have had the full protection of the Modi government to execute his unlawful and criminal activities. Prime Minister Modi himself had shielded Adani from any enquiry or prosecution on the charges emanating from the Hindenburg expose," it said.

The CPI(M) said a full-fledged investigation by an independent agency is required "to unearth all other wrongdoings by the Adani group of companies".

Reacting to the allegations, 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 a 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 organisation, fully compliant with all laws," the spokesperson added.