AP’s NEW DELHI Opposition parties protested the government’s silence about allegations against billionaire Gautam Adani, who was recently indicted in the United States for alleged fraud and a scheme to pay bribes, disrupting India’s Parliament for the third day on Thursday.
Opposition MPs erupted from their seats and flooded the halls, yelling anti-government slogans as Speaker Om Birla called a meeting of the influential lower chamber of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has come under fire from the Congress and other opposition parties for allegedly shielding Indian coal tycoon Adani.
The opposition disturbances caused Birla to adjourn the session, saying, “I don’t appreciate the manner of protest.” The impasse between the opposition and the government persisted when the session was subsequently adjourned for the day.
The Congress party remained steadfast in its position, and proceedings in the upper house of Parliament were likewise postponed.
The opposition demanded that a joint committee look into Adani’s businesses, which include coal, renewable energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.
One of the wealthiest men in Asia, Adani, 62, gained notoriety last week after he and seven of his friends were charged by U.S. prosecutors in New York with wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. According to the charges, Adani misled investors about a large solar project in India by hiding the fact that bribes were being used to facilitate it.
The indictment describes a purported plan to corrupt Indian government officials with roughly $265 million.
In a statement released last week, the Adani Group said that the accusations made against Adani Green’s directors by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice were unfounded.
The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the counts in the indictment are merely allegations. “Every legal option will be pursued,” the statement said.
Amit Malviya, the head of IT for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, also stated on the social media site X that the U.S. charges are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in the absence of a statement from the Indian government. Critics saw this as a sign of support for the Adani Group by the Modi administration.
Adani’s international interests have already been impacted by the debate. The president of Kenya canceled multimillion-dollar agreements with the Adani Group for energy and airport development projects.
Adani will also be investigated in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Sri Lankan government stated that it is examining projects that the Adani Group plans to carry out there. Under a 20-year contract, the group was supposed to invest more than $440 million to build a terminal at the Colombo port and 484 megawatts of wind power in northeastern Sri Lanka.
We’re treating it seriously. It is being investigated by the finance and foreign ministries. According to the reports from both ministries, we will make the decision, said spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa.
An arrangement whereby the Adani Group provides electricity to Bangladesh from a power facility in India is being reviewed by the interim administration of Bangladesh.
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