Many Indian politicians and bureaucrats have children or spouses studying or working abroad and, in some cases, living in developed countries as permanent residents or citizens. This is often highlighted when controversies arise, such as during the recent National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) paper leak protests, when some alleged that Indian leaders and officials were out of touch with the realities faced by the youth because their own children were studying or working abroad. This is not the case in China, where, for over a decade, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has tracked, monitored and, at times, named, shamed or cracked down on the practice of officials sending their spouses or children abroad to live or settle. They are referred to by the derogatory term 'Naked Officials'. China views the issue through the lens of corruption, illicit asset flight and personal enrichment. If an official's family is abroad, the government may also regard it as a potential national security risk warranting scrutiny, disclosure and restrictions. This is not, however, treated as automatic proof of guilt.But what about India? Here is how China tackles 'Naked Officials', and what India can learn from it.<h2>The 'Naked Official' policy in China is over a decade old</h2>'Naked Officials', or 'Luǒ Guān' in Chinese, refers to officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) or the Chinese state whose spouse and/or children have emigrated or settled abroad, whether as permanent residents or citizens, while the official remains in office. The term generally applies where the official stays in China while their immediate family relocates overseas, leaving the official 'naked' or without close family in the country. For well over a decade, China has sought to regulate and monitor this category of public officials.In 2009, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China called for increased oversight of 'Naked Officials'. In 2010, the Ministry of Supervision formally introduced regulations to strengthen the management of state functionaries whose spouses and children had both emigrated abroad. The primary focus was information gathering and enhanced supervision to prevent corruption, illicit asset transfers and capital flight.Since then, the policies have been tightened. Promotion rules were revised in 2014, including the introduction of steps such as the Measures for the Management of Posts Held by State Functionaries Whose Spouses Have Emigrated Abroad. These effectively barred such officials from promotion to sensitive positions and prohibited them from serving in military, diplomatic, national security, intelligence, confidential and other key leadership roles.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-s-corruption-crackdown-gao-yichen-ousted-from-ccp-1769229383243/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-s-corruption-crackdown-gao-yichen-ousted-from-ccp-1769229383243/embed</a>The first major provincial crackdown took place in the same year in Guangdong Province, where investigators identified more than 1,000 'Naked Officials'. Of these, 866 were reportedly demoted, reassigned, required to resign or retire early. Those affected reportedly included mayors and other senior local officials. Around 200 subsequently arranged for their families to return to mainland China, enabling them to remain eligible for certain positions.By the end of 2014, the Central Organisation Department of the Communist Party reported identifying around 3,200 'Naked Officials' nationwide, with more than 1,000 either disciplined, reassigned or otherwise removed from sensitive posts.The next major tightening came in 2022, when the Communist Party of China Central Committee prohibited spouses and children of ministerial-level officials from holding overseas real estate or shares in foreign companies, as part of broader restrictions aimed at reducing conflicts of interest, limiting opportunities for hidden wealth and strengthening anti-corruption measures.In the past 12 months, there have been renewed internal inspections. The wider net has reportedly included even 'quasi-Naked Officials', &nbsp;whose children live abroad but whose spouses remained in China. Nationwide surveys were conducted by the Central Organisation Department. Several officials lost promotions or appointments following these inspections, with internal disciplinary campaigns calling for their removal from leadership positions where they were found to fall within the relevant categories.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-court-awards-suspended-death-sentences-to-former-defence-ministers-1778165436148">Chinese military court awards suspended death sentences to former defence ministers</a><h2>No 'Naked Official' policy in India: How are Indian ministers and officials with relatives abroad treated?</h2>In India, there is no law requiring ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of State Legislative Assemblies, or senior civil servants to publicly disclose whether their spouses or children are permanent residents or citizens of another country, or whether their immediate family lives abroad for study or work. Likewise, there is no dedicated legal framework requiring the disclosure of substantial overseas assets held by immediate family members, beyond the general asset declarations required under election laws, service rules or tax laws.Election candidates are required to disclose their own assets, liabilities and financial interests through affidavits filed with the Election Commission of India, while certain public servants are subject to service conduct rules governing asset declarations. In addition, residents may have reporting obligations regarding foreign assets under the Income-tax Act, where applicable. However, India has no China-style registry or disclosure framework relating specifically to senior public officials whose immediate family members reside, work or have permanently settled abroad.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/six-military-lawmakers-of-china-stripped-off-their-posts-amid-xi-jinping-s-deepening-anti-corruption-drive-1782578304014">Six military lawmakers of China stripped off their posts amid Xi Jinping's deepening anti-corruption drive</a><h2>It's time to start a debate on 'Naked Officials' in India</h2>The Chinese model on 'Naked Officials' does not automatically presume that every such official is corrupt. It does, however, proceed on the principle that such circumstances may warrant greater disclosure, vigilance and institutional scrutiny because of potential conflicts of interest, corruption risks or concerns about illicit asset flight.In India, many politicians and senior officials have overseas family connections that would likely fall within the scope of such scrutiny if a similar framework existed.&nbsp;Legislation requiring disclosures by ministers, MPs, MLAs, senior civil servants and other holders of high public office could be considered as a transparency measure.Such mandated disclosures could answer questions such as:<ul><li>Is the official's spouse or child a permanent resident or citizen of another country?</li><li>Does the official's immediate family currently reside abroad, or have they done so in the recent past?</li><li>Do the official or their immediate family members own substantial overseas assets, such as real estate, bank accounts or business interests, where disclosure is otherwise legally required?</li><li>Are any immediate family members employed by, or hold significant financial interests in, foreign governments, foreign state-owned enterprises or strategically sensitive foreign companies?</li><li>Have any immediate family members obtained long-term residence, investment visas or citizenship through investment programmes in another country?</li></ul><h2>Disclosure without presumption of guilt is the need</h2>Such a framework would be intended to promote transparency, accountability and conflict-of-interest safeguards. It would not presume wrongdoing or corruption, nor would it justify sweeping conclusions about an individual's loyalty, integrity or patriotism.There is nothing inherently wrong with sending one's child abroad to study, work or live, and doing so does not, by itself, amount to evidence of corruption, divided loyalties or disloyalty to India.Any policy, if introduced, should include appropriate safeguards for privacy, due process and legitimate personal circumstances. It should also apply uniformly across all political parties, governments and holders of high public office, without fear, favour or exception.Ultimately, the question goes beyond any individual or political party: should India establish a transparent disclosure regime requiring senior public officials to declare significant immediate family connections abroad, similar to the disclosure and scrutiny mechanisms adopted in parts of China's governance framework?Think about it.

China subjects so-called 'Naked Officials' who have their spouses or children abroad to greater scrutiny and disclosure. Could India adopt a similar transparency framework for ministers and senior public officials? Think about it



Many Indian politicians and bureaucrats have children or spouses studying or working abroad and, in some cases, living in developed countries as permanent residents or citizens. This is often highlighted when controversies arise, such as during the recent National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) paper leak protests, when some alleged that Indian leaders and officials were out of touch with the realities faced by the youth because their own children were studying or working abroad. This is not the case in China, where, for over a decade, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has tracked, monitored and, at times, named, shamed or cracked down on the practice of officials sending their spouses or children abroad to live or settle. They are referred to by the derogatory term 'Naked Officials'. China views the issue through the lens of corruption, illicit asset flight and personal enrichment. If an official's family is abroad, the government may also regard it as a potential national security risk warranting scrutiny, disclosure and restrictions. This is not, however, treated as automatic proof of guilt. But what about India? Here is how China tackles 'Naked Officials', and what India can learn from it. The 'Naked Official' policy in China is over a decade old 'Naked Officials', or 'Luǒ Guān' in Chinese, refers to officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) or the Chinese state whose spouse and/or children have emigrated or settled abroad, whether as permanent residents or citizens, while the official remains in office. The term generally applies where the official stays in China while their immediate family relocates overseas, leaving the official 'naked' or without close family in the country. For well over a decade, China has sought to regulate and monitor this category of public officials. In 2009, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China called for increased oversight of 'Naked Officials'. In 2010, the Ministry of Supervision formally introduced regulations to strengthen the management of state functionaries whose spouses and children had both emigrated abroad. The primary focus was information gathering and enhanced supervision to prevent corruption, illicit asset transfers and capital flight. Since then, the policies have been tightened. Promotion rules were revised in 2014, including the introduction of steps such as the Measures for the Management of Posts Held by State Functionaries Whose Spouses Have Emigrated Abroad. These effectively barred such officials from promotion to sensitive positions and prohibited them from serving in military, diplomatic, national security, intelligence, confidential and other key leadership roles. https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-s-corruption-crackdown-gao-yichen-ousted-from-ccp-1769229383243/embed The first major provincial crackdown took place in the same year in Guangdong Province, where investigators identified more than 1,000 'Naked Officials'. Of these, 866 were reportedly demoted, reassigned, required to resign or retire early. Those affected reportedly included mayors and other senior local officials. Around 200 subsequently arranged for their families to return to mainland China, enabling them to remain eligible for certain positions. By the end of 2014, the Central Organisation Department of the Communist Party reported identifying around 3,200 'Naked Officials' nationwide, with more than 1,000 either disciplined, reassigned or otherwise removed from sensitive posts. The next major tightening came in 2022, when the Communist Party of China Central Committee prohibited spouses and children of ministerial-level officials from holding overseas real estate or shares in foreign companies, as part of broader restrictions aimed at reducing conflicts of interest, limiting opportunities for hidden wealth and strengthening anti-corruption measures. In the past 12 months, there have been renewed internal inspections. The wider net has reportedly included even 'quasi-Naked Officials', whose children live abroad but whose spouses remained in China. Nationwide surveys were conducted by the Central Organisation Department. Several officials lost promotions or appointments following these inspections, with internal disciplinary campaigns calling for their removal from leadership positions where they were found to fall within the relevant categories. Also read: Chinese military court awards suspended death sentences to former defence ministers No 'Naked Official' policy in India: How are Indian ministers and officials with relatives abroad treated? In India, there is no law requiring ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of State Legislative Assemblies, or senior civil servants to publicly disclose whether their spouses or children are permanent residents or citizens of another country, or whether their immediate family lives abroad for study or work. Likewise, there is no dedicated legal framework requiring the disclosure of substantial overseas assets held by immediate family members, beyond the general asset declarations required under election laws, service rules or tax laws. Election candidates are required to disclose their own assets, liabilities and financial interests through affidavits filed with the Election Commission of India, while certain public servants are subject to service conduct rules governing asset declarations. In addition, residents may have reporting obligations regarding foreign assets under the Income-tax Act, where applicable. However, India has no China-style registry or disclosure framework relating specifically to senior public officials whose immediate family members reside, work or have permanently settled abroad. Also read: Six military lawmakers of China stripped off their posts amid Xi Jinping's deepening anti-corruption drive It's time to start a debate on 'Naked Officials' in India The Chinese model on 'Naked Officials' does not automatically presume that every such official is corrupt. It does, however, proceed on the principle that such circumstances may warrant greater disclosure, vigilance and institutional scrutiny because of potential conflicts of interest, corruption risks or concerns about illicit asset flight. In India, many politicians and senior officials have overseas family connections that would likely fall within the scope of such scrutiny if a similar framework existed. Legislation requiring disclosures by ministers, MPs, MLAs, senior civil servants and other holders of high public office could be considered as a transparency measure. Such mandated disclosures could answer questions such as: Is the official's spouse or child a permanent resident or citizen of another country? Does the official's immediate family currently reside abroad, or have they done so in the recent past? Do the official or their immediate family members own substantial overseas assets, such as real estate, bank accounts or business interests, where disclosure is otherwise legally required? Are any immediate family members employed by, or hold significant financial interests in, foreign governments, foreign state-owned enterprises or strategically sensitive foreign companies? Have any immediate family members obtained long-term residence, investment visas or citizenship through investment programmes in another country? Disclosure without presumption of guilt is the need Such a framework would be intended to promote transparency, accountability and conflict-of-interest safeguards. It would not presume wrongdoing or corruption, nor would it justify sweeping conclusions about an individual's loyalty, integrity or patriotism. There is nothing inherently wrong with sending one's child abroad to study, work or live, and doing so does not, by itself, amount to evidence of corruption, divided loyalties or disloyalty to India. Any policy, if introduced, should include appropriate safeguards for privacy, due process and legitimate personal circumstances. It should also apply uniformly across all political parties, governments and holders of high public office, without fear, favour or exception. Ultimately, the question goes beyond any individual or political party: should India establish a transparent disclosure regime requiring senior public officials to declare significant immediate family connections abroad, similar to the disclosure and scrutiny mechanisms adopted in parts of China's governance framework? Think about it.

China subjects so-called 'Naked Officials' who have their spouses or children abroad to greater scrutiny and disclosure. Could India adopt a similar transparency framework for ministers and senior public officials? Think about it&nbsp;

You are a 'Naked Official' in China if you hold high posts and have children or spouse abroad. What about India?

Industrialist Gautam S Adani, his nephew Sagar S Adani and several executives of his firm Adani Green Energy have been charged in the US over a $250 million bribery scheme in India for getting renewable energy contracts that would have earned projected profits of more than $2 billion after tax.&nbsp;

The charges unveiled by the US justice department late Wednesday (Nov 21) alleged that several Adani officials engaged in bribing Indian officials in a multi-year scheme from 2020 to 2024. These bribes were hidden from US investors who were approached by the Adani group to raise billions of dollars, it alleged.

The charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the justice department said in a release. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The investigation is being carried out by FBI along with other financial crime agencies. 
 
Watch: Gautam Adani Charged By US Over Alleged $250 Million Bribe Plot

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Gautam S Adani and the other business executives "allegedly bribed the Indian government to finance lucrative contracts designed to benefit their businesses" and "defrauded investors by raising capital on the basis of false statements about bribery and corruption...[and] allegedly attempted to conceal the bribery conspiracy by obstructing the government’s investigation," claimed FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. &nbsp;

The offences were for "massive state energy supply contracts through corruption and fraud at the expense of US investors."

"The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute corrupt, deceptive and obstructive conduct that violates US law, no matter where in the world it occurs,” the release&nbsp;quoted Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa H Miller as saying.

Here are the details and specific allegations against Adani and his executives,&nbsp;along with a response from Adani Green.

<h2>What did the US Justice Department say about Adani charges?</h2>

The justice department alleged that the Adani executives ran a scheme 'to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and conceal' the scheme from US investors.&nbsp;

The bribes, allegedly worth more than $250 million, were promised to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts, said the release issued by the US Attorney's Office in Eastern District of New York.

<h2>Who are the Adani-linked&nbsp;executives indicted by US justice department?</h2>

The US justice depatment named as defendants Gautam S Adani, aged 62; Sagar S Adani, 30; Vneet S Jain, 53; Ranjit Gupta, 54; Cyril Cabanes, 50; Saurabh Agarwal, 48; Deepak Malhotra, 45; and Rupesh Agarwal, 50.

<h2>What did the US justice department indictment say about Gautam Adani bribe scheme?</h2>

&gt; The five-count criminal indictment unsealed in a Brooklyn federal court charged the Adani executives with 'conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud and substantive securities fraud' in a multi-billion-dollar scheme to obtain funds from US investors and global financial institutions based on false and misleading statements. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/major-setback-for-adani-group-sebi-issues-notice-as-chairperson-buch-faces-scrutiny-770755">Also read: Major setback for Adani Group, SEBI issues notice as chairperson Buch faces scrutiny</a>

&gt; It specifically charged Ranjit Gupta, Rupesh Agarwal, Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal and Deepak Malhotra with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

They allegedly orchestrated an elaborate scheme to bribe Indian government officials to secure contracts worth billions of dollars.

&gt; Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from US and international investors, said United States Attorney Peace Breon Peace when announcing the charges.&nbsp;

<h2>What exactly is the Adani bribe scheme as alleged by US Justice&nbsp;Department?</h2>

&gt; The scheme was to pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials, to lie to investors and banks to raise billions of dollars, and to obstruct justice, stated Deputy Assistant Attorney General Miller. &nbsp;

&gt; Between 2020 and 2024, the executives allegedly bribed Indian government officials for contracts projected to generate $2 billion in profits after tax for 20 years. &nbsp;

&gt; "On several occasions, Gautam S. Adani personally met with an Indian government official to advance the bribery scheme, and the defendants held in-person meetings with each other to discuss aspects of its execution," the justice department alleged. &nbsp;

&gt; The executives 'frequently discussed their efforts on the bribery scheme' including through an electronic messaging application and 'extensively documented their corrupt efforts,' it claimed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hindenburg-vs-adani-sebi-chief-madhabis-link-needs-judicial-probe-ex-official-eas-sarma-tells-wion-749745">Also read: Hindenburg vs Adani: Sebi chief Madhabi's links need judicial probe, ex-official EAS Sarma tells WION</a>

&gt; Sagar R Adani, alleged the US department, 'used his cellular phone to track specific details of the bribes offered and promised to government officials'.

&gt; Vneet S Jaain used his cellular phone to photograph a document summarising various bribe amounts a US issuer owed the company for its respective portion of the bribes, alleged the justice department.

&gt; Rupesh Agarwal 'prepared and distributed to other defendants multiple analyses using PowerPoint and Excel', summarising various options for paying and concealing bribe payments, it claimed.

&gt; Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain 'conspired to misrepresent' Adani Green's anti-bribery and corruption practices and conceal the scheme from US investors and international financial institutions in order to obtain financing, it alleged.

&gt; Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain caused Adani Green Energy and some of its subsidiaries 'to raise capital on the basis of false and misleading statements in connection with two US dollar-denominated syndicate loans totalling more than $2 billion from investors and two bond offerings for more than $1 billion underwritten by international financial institutions, which were marketed and sold to investors in the US, claimed the US justice department.

&gt; Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S. Jaain caused Adani Green 'to make false statements in their consolidated financial statements and to the market and investors regarding the bribery scheme, it alleged.

&gt; Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal, Deepak Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal 'conspired to obstruct the grand jury, FBI and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations into the bribery scheme, said the indictment. &nbsp;

&gt; They agreed to delete electronic materials related to the bribery scheme, including emails, electronic messages and 'bribery analyses.

&gt; They later withheld material information from an internal investigation by a US issuer company and 'falsely denied their participation' in the scheme to representatives of the FBI, DOJ and SEC at meetings in Brooklyn, New York. On this account, Cabanes, Agarwal, Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal have been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice.

<h2>How has Adani Green responded to charges?</h2>

In a statement, an Adani Group spokesperson said&nbsp;the allegations "are baseless and denied." 
 
As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, said the spokesperson, "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," it added. 
 
Earlier, Adani Green said in a statement:&nbsp; "The United States Department of Justice and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission have issued a criminal indictment and brought a civil complaint, respectively, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, against our Board members, Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani. The United States Department of Justice have also included our Board member, Vneet Jaain, in such criminal indictment."

In light of these developments, it added, "our subsidiaries have presently decided not to proceed with the proposed USD-denominated bond offerings."

&nbsp;

Industrialist Gautam S Adani, his nephew Sagar S Adani and several executives of his firm Adani Green Energy have been charged in the US over a $250 million bribery scheme in India for getting renewable energy contracts that would have earned projected profits of more than $2 billion after tax.

Industrialist Gautam S Adani, his nephew Sagar S Adani and several executives of his firm Adani Green Energy have been charged in the US over a $250 million bribery scheme in India for getting renewable energy contracts that would have earned projected profits of more than $2 billion after tax. The charges unveiled by the US justice department late Wednesday (Nov 21) alleged that several Adani officials engaged in bribing Indian officials in a multi-year scheme from 2020 to 2024. These bribes were hidden from US investors who were approached by the Adani group to raise billions of dollars, it alleged. The charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the justice department said in a release. The investigation is being carried out by FBI along with other financial crime agencies. Watch: Gautam Adani Charged By US Over Alleged $250 Million Bribe Plot × Gautam S Adani and the other business executives "allegedly bribed the Indian government to finance lucrative contracts designed to benefit their businesses" and "defrauded investors by raising capital on the basis of false statements about bribery and corruption...[and] allegedly attempted to conceal the bribery conspiracy by obstructing the government’s investigation," claimed FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. The offences were for "massive state energy supply contracts through corruption and fraud at the expense of US investors." "The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute corrupt, deceptive and obstructive conduct that violates US law, no matter where in the world it occurs,” the release quoted Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa H Miller as saying. Here are the details and specific allegations against Adani and his executives, along with a response from Adani Green. What did the US Justice Department say about Adani charges? The justice department alleged that the Adani executives ran a scheme 'to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and conceal' the scheme from US investors. The bribes, allegedly worth more than $250 million, were promised to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts, said the release issued by the US Attorney's Office in Eastern District of New York. Who are the Adani-linked executives indicted by US justice department? The US justice depatment named as defendants Gautam S Adani, aged 62; Sagar S Adani, 30; Vneet S Jain, 53; Ranjit Gupta, 54; Cyril Cabanes, 50; Saurabh Agarwal, 48; Deepak Malhotra, 45; and Rupesh Agarwal, 50. What did the US justice department indictment say about Gautam Adani bribe scheme? > The five-count criminal indictment unsealed in a Brooklyn federal court charged the Adani executives with 'conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud and substantive securities fraud' in a multi-billion-dollar scheme to obtain funds from US investors and global financial institutions based on false and misleading statements. Also read: Major setback for Adani Group, SEBI issues notice as chairperson Buch faces scrutiny > It specifically charged Ranjit Gupta, Rupesh Agarwal, Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal and Deepak Malhotra with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. They allegedly orchestrated an elaborate scheme to bribe Indian government officials to secure contracts worth billions of dollars. > Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from US and international investors, said United States Attorney Peace Breon Peace when announcing the charges. What exactly is the Adani bribe scheme as alleged by US Justice Department? > The scheme was to pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials, to lie to investors and banks to raise billions of dollars, and to obstruct justice, stated Deputy Assistant Attorney General Miller. > Between 2020 and 2024, the executives allegedly bribed Indian government officials for contracts projected to generate $2 billion in profits after tax for 20 years. > "On several occasions, Gautam S. Adani personally met with an Indian government official to advance the bribery scheme, and the defendants held in-person meetings with each other to discuss aspects of its execution," the justice department alleged. > The executives 'frequently discussed their efforts on the bribery scheme' including through an electronic messaging application and 'extensively documented their corrupt efforts,' it claimed. Also read: Hindenburg vs Adani: Sebi chief Madhabi's links need judicial probe, ex-official EAS Sarma tells WION > Sagar R Adani, alleged the US department, 'used his cellular phone to track specific details of the bribes offered and promised to government officials'. > Vneet S Jaain used his cellular phone to photograph a document summarising various bribe amounts a US issuer owed the company for its respective portion of the bribes, alleged the justice department. > Rupesh Agarwal 'prepared and distributed to other defendants multiple analyses using PowerPoint and Excel', summarising various options for paying and concealing bribe payments, it claimed. > Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain 'conspired to misrepresent' Adani Green's anti-bribery and corruption practices and conceal the scheme from US investors and international financial institutions in order to obtain financing, it alleged. > Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain caused Adani Green Energy and some of its subsidiaries 'to raise capital on the basis of false and misleading statements in connection with two US dollar-denominated syndicate loans totalling more than $2 billion from investors and two bond offerings for more than $1 billion underwritten by international financial institutions, which were marketed and sold to investors in the US, claimed the US justice department. > Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S. Jaain caused Adani Green 'to make false statements in their consolidated financial statements and to the market and investors regarding the bribery scheme, it alleged. > Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal, Deepak Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal 'conspired to obstruct the grand jury, FBI and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations into the bribery scheme, said the indictment. > They agreed to delete electronic materials related to the bribery scheme, including emails, electronic messages and 'bribery analyses. > They later withheld material information from an internal investigation by a US issuer company and 'falsely denied their participation' in the scheme to representatives of the FBI, DOJ and SEC at meetings in Brooklyn, New York. On this account, Cabanes, Agarwal, Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal have been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. How has Adani Green responded to charges? In a statement, an Adani Group spokesperson said the allegations "are baseless and denied." As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, said the spokesperson, "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," it added. Earlier, Adani Green said in a statement: "The United States Department of Justice and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission have issued a criminal indictment and brought a civil complaint, respectively, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, against our Board members, Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani. The United States Department of Justice have also included our Board member, Vneet Jaain, in such criminal indictment." In light of these developments, it added, "our subsidiaries have presently decided not to proceed with the proposed USD-denominated bond offerings."

Gautam Adani indicted in US over multimillion dollar bribery: What are the charges? What you should know

More than twenty five per cent of people living in Asia had to pay a bribe to someone in order to access a public service in the past year, said a watchdog Tuesday, calling on governments to root out endemic graft in the region.

The report issued by Berlin-based Transparency International surveyed more than 200,000 in 16 countries across the Asia Pacific region, from Pakistan to Australia.

The results of the study suggest that 900 million people were forced to hand over &quot;tea money&quot; at least one time in the preceeding 12 months.

Transparency International&#39;s <a href="http://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_in_asia_pacific_what_20000_people_told_us" target="_blank">website </a>says that the report comes at a time when countries of the region are preparing their agendays to me the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some priorities include reducing all forms of corruption and bribery.

The country&nbsp;where the most people had paid bribes was&nbsp;India, where 69 per cent&nbsp;of respondents said they had to include a bribe in order to access basic services, like public education and healthcare.

To the question &quot;Has corruption increased recently?&quot;, 41 per cent of Indians said it either&nbsp;&quot;increased somewhat&quot; or &quot;increased a lot&quot;.

The countries in the region with the lowest incidences of bribery were Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia.

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<h5>The poor are hit hardest by corruption with 38 per cent of respondents saying they had to pay a bribe, the highest in any income category. Yet while poorer people were more likely to be targeted in countries like Thailand, India and Pakistan, the reverse trend was found in places like Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia</h5>
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Police were the most common demanders of kickbacks, according to the survey, with just under one-third of people who had come into contact with an officer in the past year saying they had paid a bribe. &nbsp;

Those aged under 35 were the most likely to have paid a bribe to access a public service, with 34 per cent saying they had.&nbsp;Next&nbsp;are&nbsp;those aged between 35 and 54-years-old, with 29 per cent.&nbsp;19 per cent of those older than 55 say they have paid a bribe.

There was only a negligible difference between the percentage of males and females who had paid&nbsp;bribes, at 30 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively.

Corruption hits the poor the most often, as 38 per cent of respondents said they had to pay a bribe, the highest in any income category. But this dynamic doesn&#39;t play out in every country. Poorer people were more likely to be targeted for bribery in countries like Thailand, India and Pakistan, but the opposite is true in Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.

&quot;Governments must do more to deliver on their anti-corruption commitments,&quot; Jose Ugaz, the chair of Transparency International, said in a press release. &quot;Bribery is not a small crime, it takes food off the table, it prevents education, it impedes proper healthcare and ultimately it can kill.&quot;

When it came to perceptions of corruption Malaysia and Vietnam got the worst ratings from their citizens, who felt graft was widespread and accused their governments of doing little to fight it.&nbsp;

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Government corruption

Corruption scandals have rocked a number of governments in Asia over the past year, dominating news headlines and whipping up protests.&nbsp;

South Korea&#39;s President Park Geun-hye was impeached by parliament in December over a major influence-peddling scandal that prompted millions to take to the street for months to call for her resignation.

Malaysia has also been seized by a graft scandal since 2015, with global investigators accusing Premier Najib Razak and his associates of misappropriating billions of dollars through the state-backed 1MDB fund.

A report last year by a corruption watchdog also detailed the enormous wealth accumulated by the family and friends of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.&nbsp;

China, meanwhile, has been on anti-corruption drive that has netted more than one million officials, while fellow communist country Vietnam has also jailed a number of former businessmen for graft in its bloated state-run sector.

Thailand&#39;s junta government has vowed a similar anti-corruption campaign, but there have been few convictions so far.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

More than one in every four people living in Asia paid a bribe in 2016 but the poor pay the most of all, says the report

More than twenty five per cent of people living in Asia had to pay a bribe to someone in order to access a public service in the past year, said a watchdog Tuesday, calling on governments to root out endemic graft in the region. The report issued by Berlin-based Transparency International surveyed more than 200,000 in 16 countries across the Asia Pacific region, from Pakistan to Australia. The results of the study suggest that 900 million people were forced to hand over "tea money" at least one time in the preceeding 12 months. Transparency International's website says that the report comes at a time when countries of the region are preparing their agendays to me the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some priorities include reducing all forms of corruption and bribery. The country where the most people had paid bribes was India, where 69 per cent of respondents said they had to include a bribe in order to access basic services, like public education and healthcare. To the question "Has corruption increased recently?", 41 per cent of Indians said it either "increased somewhat" or "increased a lot". The countries in the region with the lowest incidences of bribery were Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia. The poor are hit hardest by corruption with 38 per cent of respondents saying they had to pay a bribe, the highest in any income category. Yet while poorer people were more likely to be targeted in countries like Thailand, India and Pakistan, the reverse trend was found in places like Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia × Police were the most common demanders of kickbacks, according to the survey, with just under one-third of people who had come into contact with an officer in the past year saying they had paid a bribe. Those aged under 35 were the most likely to have paid a bribe to access a public service, with 34 per cent saying they had. Next are those aged between 35 and 54-years-old, with 29 per cent. 19 per cent of those older than 55 say they have paid a bribe. There was only a negligible difference between the percentage of males and females who had paid bribes, at 30 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively. Corruption hits the poor the most often, as 38 per cent of respondents said they had to pay a bribe, the highest in any income category. But this dynamic doesn't play out in every country. Poorer people were more likely to be targeted for bribery in countries like Thailand, India and Pakistan, but the opposite is true in Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. "Governments must do more to deliver on their anti-corruption commitments," Jose Ugaz, the chair of Transparency International, said in a press release. "Bribery is not a small crime, it takes food off the table, it prevents education, it impedes proper healthcare and ultimately it can kill." When it came to perceptions of corruption Malaysia and Vietnam got the worst ratings from their citizens, who felt graft was widespread and accused their governments of doing little to fight it. Government corruption Corruption scandals have rocked a number of governments in Asia over the past year, dominating news headlines and whipping up protests. South Korea's President Park Geun-hye was impeached by parliament in December over a major influence-peddling scandal that prompted millions to take to the street for months to call for her resignation. Malaysia has also been seized by a graft scandal since 2015, with global investigators accusing Premier Najib Razak and his associates of misappropriating billions of dollars through the state-backed 1MDB fund. A report last year by a corruption watchdog also detailed the enormous wealth accumulated by the family and friends of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. China, meanwhile, has been on anti-corruption drive that has netted more than one million officials, while fellow communist country Vietnam has also jailed a number of former businessmen for graft in its bloated state-run sector. Thailand's junta government has vowed a similar anti-corruption campaign, but there have been few convictions so far. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Indians pay more bribes than any Asian country: Report

India has improved, albeit marginally, its rankings in Transparency International&#39;s corruption perception index for 2016.

India, like Brazil and China, were ranked 79th in the world by the Berlin-based graft watchdog.

New Zealand and Denmark were jointly-ranked as the world&#39;s least corrupt nations. On the other end of the spectrum, Somalia was recognised as the most corrupt country in the world.

The study took into account World Bank data, the World Economic Forum and other institutions to rank 176 countries according to the elevl of corruption prevalent in the country.

The score runs from zero, which is highly corrupt, to 100, which is very clean.

No country scored a perfect 100, with New Zealand and Denmark both scoring 90 points each.

India, meanwhile, were marked 40, below the&nbsp;global average score of 43.

&quot;India&#39;s ongoing poor performance with a score of 40 reiterates the state&#39;s inability to effectively deal with petty corruption as well as large-scale corruption scandals. The impact of corruption on poverty, illiteracy and police brutality shows that not only the economy is growing but also inequality,&quot; the anti-graft body said.

The majority of Asia Pacific countries sit in the bottom half of the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016. 19 out of 30 countries in the region scored 40 or less out of 100, it said.

(WION)

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Denmark and New Zealand were ranked the least corrupt countries, while Somalia was ranked the worst

India has improved, albeit marginally, its rankings in Transparency International's corruption perception index for 2016. India, like Brazil and China, were ranked 79th in the world by the Berlin-based graft watchdog. New Zealand and Denmark were jointly-ranked as the world's least corrupt nations. On the other end of the spectrum, Somalia was recognised as the most corrupt country in the world. The study took into account World Bank data, the World Economic Forum and other institutions to rank 176 countries according to the elevl of corruption prevalent in the country. The score runs from zero, which is highly corrupt, to 100, which is very clean. No country scored a perfect 100, with New Zealand and Denmark both scoring 90 points each. India, meanwhile, were marked 40, below the global average score of 43. "India's ongoing poor performance with a score of 40 reiterates the state's inability to effectively deal with petty corruption as well as large-scale corruption scandals. The impact of corruption on poverty, illiteracy and police brutality shows that not only the economy is growing but also inequality," the anti-graft body said. The majority of Asia Pacific countries sit in the bottom half of the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016. 19 out of 30 countries in the region scored 40 or less out of 100, it said. (WION)

India ranked 79th in 2016 graft perception index

India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday termed demonetisation as a &quot;sacred movement&quot; that was supported by the masses and said that the deposition of black money will lead to &quot;bigger and cleaner GDP&quot;.

The economic resolution passed at the party&#39;s national executive meeting accused the opposition of trying to discredit the government by criticising the move that was aimed at the &quot;poor&#39;s welfare&quot;.

&quot;In this sacred movement across the country, the common people were taking upon themselves the temporary suffering of standing in queues with full enthusiasm and positive energy, but the Opposition had become negative with destructive energy to defame the central government and trying to destroy the positive environment of the country,&quot; the resolution said.

India&#39;s finance minister Arun Jaitley asserted that black money has been returned to the banks because of the currency reform and will lead to development.

&quot;Black money has been deposited in the banks. It has lost its anonymity. The informal economy will now increasingly integrate with the formal economy. This will lead to higher revenues with the States and the Centre. It will lead to the bigger and the cleaner GDP,&quot; the resolution said.

Jaitley also claimed that state revenues had not suffered, citing figures, and in states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh numbers had even increased.

The resolution said demonetisation was necessary for decimating the parallel economy of black money and for the smooth functioning of the GST in near future.

BJP supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s decision at the meeting. BJP&#39;s &#39;Kisan Morcha&#39; (farmer wing of BJP) chief Virendra Singh Mast claimed that wasteful expenditure by farmers was reduced due to demonetisation. The opposition claims that farmers have suffered the most due to cash crunch.

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman termed the decision as &quot;bold and historic decision&quot;.

&quot;The Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes hidden in mattresses, something people would say symbolically, is now in bank accounts. It will help development,&quot; she said.

The ruling party claimed positive reaction towards demonetisation, quoting surveys. 
&quot;This is reflected in the fact that even after 50 days, there was not a single major incident in the country. There was no loss of public property and there was no loss of people&#39;s patience anywhere in the country.&quot;

BJP dismissed allegations that demonetisation was an abrupt decision, claiming that the resolution was taken with full-fledged preparations.&nbsp;

Listing the government&#39;s efforts to curb black money leading to demonetization, the resolution cited constitution of a SIT, introduction of Income Declaration Scheme, Jan Dhan Scheme, Black Money Act, Bankruptcy Insolvency Law, DRT Amendment Law and Benami Property Act, Press trust of India reported.

The party named various efforts by the government to promote a cashless, corruption free India through UPI, USSD, AEPS and Rupay Card.

&quot;The BJP firmly believes that digital economy will stop the leakage of taxes. This Government has ended any role of middlemen from its beneficiary schemes like MNREGA, financial assistance to poor students, subsidies to marginal sections including SC/ST/OBC through digital transactions and Direct Benefit Transfers,&quot; the resolution said.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Wasteful expenditure by farmers was reduced due to demonetisation, says party's farmer wing chief

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday termed demonetisation as a "sacred movement" that was supported by the masses and said that the deposition of black money will lead to "bigger and cleaner GDP". The economic resolution passed at the party's national executive meeting accused the opposition of trying to discredit the government by criticising the move that was aimed at the "poor's welfare". "In this sacred movement across the country, the common people were taking upon themselves the temporary suffering of standing in queues with full enthusiasm and positive energy, but the Opposition had become negative with destructive energy to defame the central government and trying to destroy the positive environment of the country," the resolution said. India's finance minister Arun Jaitley asserted that black money has been returned to the banks because of the currency reform and will lead to development. "Black money has been deposited in the banks. It has lost its anonymity. The informal economy will now increasingly integrate with the formal economy. This will lead to higher revenues with the States and the Centre. It will lead to the bigger and the cleaner GDP," the resolution said. Jaitley also claimed that state revenues had not suffered, citing figures, and in states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh numbers had even increased. The resolution said demonetisation was necessary for decimating the parallel economy of black money and for the smooth functioning of the GST in near future. BJP supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision at the meeting. BJP's 'Kisan Morcha' (farmer wing of BJP) chief Virendra Singh Mast claimed that wasteful expenditure by farmers was reduced due to demonetisation. The opposition claims that farmers have suffered the most due to cash crunch. Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman termed the decision as "bold and historic decision". "The Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes hidden in mattresses, something people would say symbolically, is now in bank accounts. It will help development," she said. The ruling party claimed positive reaction towards demonetisation, quoting surveys. "This is reflected in the fact that even after 50 days, there was not a single major incident in the country. There was no loss of public property and there was no loss of people's patience anywhere in the country." BJP dismissed allegations that demonetisation was an abrupt decision, claiming that the resolution was taken with full-fledged preparations. Listing the government's efforts to curb black money leading to demonetization, the resolution cited constitution of a SIT, introduction of Income Declaration Scheme, Jan Dhan Scheme, Black Money Act, Bankruptcy Insolvency Law, DRT Amendment Law and Benami Property Act, Press trust of India reported. The party named various efforts by the government to promote a cashless, corruption free India through UPI, USSD, AEPS and Rupay Card. "The BJP firmly believes that digital economy will stop the leakage of taxes. This Government has ended any role of middlemen from its beneficiary schemes like MNREGA, financial assistance to poor students, subsidies to marginal sections including SC/ST/OBC through digital transactions and Direct Benefit Transfers," the resolution said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Reaction to demonetisation positive as not single major incident of violence reported: BJP at its executive meet