New Delhi (Agency): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has closed its case against Adani Enterprises and a former chairman of the National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF), Virender Singh, concerning alleged irregularities in the award of a contract for supplying imported coal to the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation (APGENCO).
The CBI has filed the closure report before a special CBI court, marking the end of a case registered in 2020. In addition to Adani Enterprises and Singh, the case also included then NCCF managing director G P Gupta and senior adviser S C Singhal.
The special court is now tasked with deciding whether to accept the closure, send it back to the CBI for further investigation, or proceed with the trial based on the available evidence.
The case began with a three-year-long preliminary inquiry initiated by a complaint from the then-deputy secretary of the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Premraj Kuar. Kuar has since taken voluntary retirement from service, and the special court has issued notices to both the retired officer and the current incumbent.
The CBI’s investigation focused on alleged cheating and corruption in the selection process for a tender to supply coal to power stations in Andhra Pradesh. The APGENCO had floated a limited tender inquiry for the supply of six lakh metric tonnes of imported coal to specific thermal power plants on June 29, 2010.
The CBI alleged that senior officers of the NCCF conducted post-tender negotiations with Adani Enterprises, providing undue benefits to the company even though it did not meet the qualifications. The agency had booked the company and officials for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating, and violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI’s decision to file a closure report brings a significant development in a case that has garnered attention for its high-profile defendants and the serious nature of the allegations. The special court’s upcoming decision will determine the next steps in this legal matter, either closing the chapter on the case or potentially leading to further legal proceedings. The case serves as a notable example of the complexities and challenges involved in investigating and prosecuting alleged corruption and malfeasance within the tendering process.
