Left parties and the TMC demanded an investigation into the allegations of bribery and fraud against Gautam Adani made by US prosecutors.
The Left parties and the TMC on Thursday demanded an investigation into the allegations of bribery and fraud 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 for 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.
In a statement issued here, the CPI(M) said the Modi government “cannot hide behind a smokescreen anymore”, and demanded a CBI probe into the charges.
“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.
“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”.
