Adani's indictment in US powers political war in India

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Thursday demanded that industrialist Gautam Adani be arrested and interrogated for the irregularities for which he has been indicted by the US stock regulator and FBI. Rahul lamented that the US has indicted Adani for irregularities committed in India, but there is no probe in India.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a “comprehensive JPC” probe into Adani Group, institutional erosion of SEBI & govt bodies, and foreign deals of Adani.

To media queries about the US probe naming non-BJP govts for giving projects to Adani, he said all those involved should be acted against. “But it should start with Adani, the kingpin. He should be first put in jail, questioned,” he said.

Rahul took a jibe at PM Modi’s slogan “Ek hain to safe hain”, saying it implied that Adani and Modi were safe if they were together. “It is clear that the PM is 100% protecting Adani, and he is involved in corruption with Adani,” Rahul alleged, adding, “A JPC probe is important. But now, the question is, why is Adani outside prison... He has taken Indian assets through corruption, and he supports BJP.”

Rahul said as leader of opposition, it was his responsibility to raise issues of public interest, and the opposition was united on the matter — suggesting that the winter session starting Monday would witness pressure on govt from the anti-BJP camp.

Rahul described Adani as part of a “political-financial-bureaucratic network” capturing the Indian political system. “It is a virtuous cycle for them and negative for India — keep the stock price up, take loans, then get projects through loans, and get more projects from govt, and the valuation goes up further.”

Rahul said Sebi chief Madhabi Puri Buch, who “is corrupt… protects Adani’s stock prices”, and is part of the network and should be removed immediately with a probe launched against her.

He alleged that the PM puts India’s credibility on the line by getting Adani infrastructure projects in countries he visits. He said that there is talk of probes on such projects in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

The Congress MP said Sebi chief Madhabi Buch’s protection of Adani would badly hurt retail investors.
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