Congress slams SECI following allegations concerning Adani group company

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Thursday pressed for a JPC probe into alleged bribery allegations pertaining to a Adani Group company in the United States with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleging that key player in the “corruption scandal” is the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Government of India company.

The Adani Group has denied the allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green. The BJP said the law will take its own course and slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jairam Ramesh alleged that SECI conducted “reverse auction” to select winner. “The key player in this sordid Adani corruption scandal that has been fully exposed by US agencies is the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Govt of India company. SECI had called for bids from private companies and conducted the reverse auction to select the winner. Based on its recommendations, different states entered into purchase agreements,” the Congress leader posted on X.

अमेरिकी एजेंसियों द्वारा स्पष्ट रूप से उजागर किए गए अडानी के इस भ्रष्टाचार और घोटाले में मेन प्लेयर भारत सरकार की कंपनी सोलर एनर्जी कॉर्पोरेशन ऑफ इंडिया (SECI) है।

SECI ने निजी कंपनियों से बोलियां आमंत्रित की थीं और विजेता का चयन करने के लिए रिवर्स नीलामी की थी। इसकी सिफारिशों…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 21, 2024

“Bribery has been documented in the US indictments in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and J&K (after it became a UT). This is totally unacceptable and calls for the strictest action. But will SECI also be investigated? There is a SEBI-type situation there! And speaking of states, what about the solar power contracts pushed through at exorbitant rates in Maharashtra and Rajasthan in recent months?” he added.

In his response over Congress allegations, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the company would defend itself and the law will take its own course.”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 clearly 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 own course,” Patra said at a press conference.

He referred to press conference by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused him of “sensationalizing things”. Patra remarked that Rahul Gandhi, in the same way, had raised allegations about the Rafale deal and during the Covid-19 crisis but in the end, he had to apologise.

#WATCH | Delhi: BJP MP Sambit Patra says, “…The entire matter is about agreements on power purchase and agreements on state distribution companies (SDCs). The distribution of electricity between US and India, there are two companies – one an Indian and a US company. Four Indian… pic.twitter.com/xQwlyirtet

— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2024

“Rahul Gandhi has done a press conference again. He has again shown the same behaviour and presented the topic in the same way he used to present. This isn’t a new PC. 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 Rafale 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 has to go to the Supreme Court and apologise… It’s his way to attack the structure of India and the people who save it,” he said.

The Adani Group strongly refuted bribery allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of the Adani Green, terming them baseless. An Adani Group spokesperson said all legal recourse will be taken.

“The US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied”, the statement read. “As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, ‘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.

The Adani Group said it has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the “highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations”.”We assure our stakeholders, partners and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws,” the statement said.

Amid these allegations, Adani Green Energy also informed stock exchanges that its subsidiaries have decided to defer their planned US dollar-denominated bond offerings.”In light of these developments, our subsidiaries have presently decided not to proceed with the proposed USD denominated bond offerings,” it said. (ANI)