Charges against Adani spark renewed calls for parliamentary probe

The opposition has come out strongly in response to US charges against Gautam Adani, demanding immediate accountability.

Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi hit back at the government for allegedly shielding Gautam Adani as fresh allegations surfaced.

Rahul Gandhi said, and I quote, "It is now pretty clear and established in America that Mr Adani has broken both Indian law and American laws. He has been indicted in the US. I am wondering why Mr Adani is running around a free man in this country. CMs have been arrested...Adani has done apparently one Rs 2000 Crore scam and multiple others probably, but he is running scot-free...We have been raising this again and again...It is a vindication of what we have been saying.”

Meanwhile, congress leader Jairam Ramesh reiterated the party’s call for a joint parliamentary committee probe, stating the indictment validates their allegations of irregularities in Adani's business dealings. Pawan Khera described the charges as a betrayal of Indian investors, citing claims that Adani's group bribed Indian officials with $265 million between 2020 and 2024 to secure contracts. AAP leader Sanjay Singh called for a supreme court-monitored investigation, accusing Adani of tarnishing India's reputation globally.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Gautam Adani and his group with securities fraud and conspiracy.

Prosecutors allege that Adani Green Energy, in partnership with US-based Azure Power, paid bribes to secure a $12 billion solar power deal to supply 12 gigawatts of energy to the Indian government. The indictment also highlights a March 2024 incident where Adani's group allegedly misled Indian stock exchanges. These allegations have added fuel to the opposition’s demand for transparency and accountability in Adani's business dealings.

The BJP has pushed back against the allegations, emphasizing that charges are yet to be proven. Party spokesperson Amit Malviya argued that the alleged bribes were paid to state governments in opposition-ruled states, including Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. He questioned why Congress has not addressed corruption under its leadership in these states.

However, opposition leaders like Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized regulatory bodies such as SEBI for failing to act against Adani earlier, calling it a lapse in corporate governance. The political debate continues to intensify as both sides trade accusations over the scandal.