As the US Department of Justice stated, ‘the charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.’ However, the CPIM, in its statement, already declared the industrialist guilty after it indicated that the ‘large-scale bribery charges by Adani had to be exposed in the United States.’
“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. Gautam Adani and his business empire have had full protection from the Modi government in executing his unlawful and criminal activities,” the official press statement by the CPIM read.
CPIM Polit Bureau Statement on #Adani Indictment in a US Court by the Department of Justice:
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) November 21, 2024
Book Adani on Corruption Chargeshttps://t.co/bwD2uyhJMC pic.twitter.com/8AU4l5q9Tl
The statement also accused Prime Minister Modi of allegedly protecting the industrialist from investigation and inquiry. “PM Modi himself had shielded Adani from any enquiry or prosecution on the charges emanating from the Hindenburg expose,” it added.
“The Modi government cannot hide behind any smokescreen now. 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. Bribery of public servants comes under the Prevention of Corruption Act, under the CBI’s remit. A full-fledged investigation by an independent agency is required to unearth all other wrongdoings by the Adani group of companies,” the party demanded.
The Adani group meanwhile has denied all the allegations of alleged bribery levelled by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. “The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against the directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied,” the Directors of Adani Group stated. The Indian conglomerate further noted that all legal recourse is being sought.
On the other hand, CPIM party leader Brinda Karat while talking to the news agency targeted the BJP over the incident and stated that the BJP was protecting the interest of the Adani Groups. “We have demanded to book Adani on corruption charges and proceed against him, including arrest. We have also demanded that an independent investigation into all the other allegations should be conducted. Even in the Hindenburg revelations, he was defended. It is directly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government led by him who have extended protection and defended Adani personally… It is a shame for our country that it is the United States of America’s Justice Department which has collected all this information because it believes that US Companies were misled,” Karat was quoted as saying.
“They are protecting the interests of their companies from this fraud by Adani. Whereas the government of India, led by PM Modi is protecting him and his companies and giving him permission, license, and patronage to loot India and India’s resources… What are you saying about India to the rest of the world? That this government is protecting the most corrupt entities? This is a time when it is in India’s interest that this man be booked immediately under corruption charges. And along with that, an independent investigative agency to look into all the other issues,” she added.
#WATCH | Delhi: On US prosecutors charging Gautam Adani and others in alleged Solar Energy contract bribery case, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat says, "We have demanded to book Adani on corruption charges and proceed against him, including arrest. We have also demanded that an… pic.twitter.com/vTXhCoNB7Q
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2024
Commenting on the issue, BJP leader Sambit Patra then said that the company would defend itself and the law would take its course. “Today, since morning, we have been seeing in the media an issue regarding a company. There is a case against that company in the US. There are allegations and counter-allegations. We believe that as far as the company and the case against it are concerned, the company will issue a statement and defend itself on its own. The law will take its course,” Patra said while addressing a press conference.
भाजपा मुख्यालय में आयोजित एक महत्वपूर्ण प्रेसवार्ता को संबोधित करते हुए | Watch Live https://t.co/VkeSM4aGES
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) November 21, 2024
He also slammed Congress President Rahul Gandhi for sensationalizing the issue unnecessarily. This was after Gandhi targeted Adani and the BJP government and demanded the industrialist’s arrest based on the allegations by an American probe agency.
“Today, Rahul Gandhi again showed the same behaviour and presented the topic as he used to present. This isn’t new. He has used the same names and the same ways through which he tried to put a new allegation on PM Modi. He always tries to sensationalize things and describe them in a way that how big the matter is. He did the same before 2019 when he raised the issue of Rafael fighter planes, he claimed that a big revelation would be made, this topic has geared momentum in the whole world, ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’, etc… During the COVID 19, he used to do press conferences in the same way, but at the end, he had to go to the Supreme Court and apologize… It’s his way to attack the structure of India and the people who save it,” Patra said slamming Gandhi over the issue.
It is however, crucial to note that the Adani Group has strongly refuted bribery allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of the Adani Green. “As stated by the US Department of Justice, ‘the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.’ All possible legal recourse will be sought,” the statement by Adani stated.
