The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The Congress party has promised to establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) within a month of the INDIA bloc government taking office to investigate allegations of a major coal scam involving the Adani Group. This commitment follows a media report suggesting that the Adani Group sold low-quality coal at inflated prices to a Tamil Nadu public sector unit.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed that this “huge coal scam” has occurred under the BJP government, with Adani allegedly profiting massively by selling substandard coal at three times its value. He asserted that this scam has led to inflated electricity bills for the public. Despite repeated allegations, the Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The media report, based on documents obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and reported by the Financial Times, alleges that the Adani Group fraudulently sold low-quality, high-ash coal as more expensive, cleaner fuel to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
In response to these allegations, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, in a statement on X, noted that the revelations about the “Modani Mega Scam” are gaining momentum alongside the accelerating election campaign of the INDIA bloc. Ramesh explained that Adani’s fraudulent sales of low-quality coal from Indonesia resulted in excess profits of Rs 3,000 crore, leading to overpriced electricity and increased air pollution.
Ramesh further criticized the Modi government, claiming that the Prime Minister’s close associates have benefitted immensely over the past decade by exploiting vulnerable Indians. He highlighted that air pollution, exacerbated by such activities, kills approximately 2 million Indians annually.
Moreover, Ramesh accused the Prime Minister of obstructing investigations into Adani’s activities, despite substantial evidence from international sources revealing the extent of over-invoicing and money laundering. He pointed out that previous OCCRP investigations had implicated Adani associates Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli and Chang Chung-Ling in orchestrating these schemes, which inflated the stock values of Adani Group companies.
Ramesh also criticized the disparity in enforcement, noting that other businesspersons accused of similar crimes have faced severe penalties, while Adani has escaped consequences due to his connections with the Modi administration.
The Congress party’s commitment to launching a JPC investigation includes examining the illegal over-invoicing of coal and power equipment, laundering Rs 20,000 crore of illegal proceeds back into Adani companies, and the Modi regime’s role in forcing Indian businesses to sell assets to Adani. The investigation will also look into the impact on Indian consumers, who have faced high electricity prices and airport fees as a result.
Ramesh concluded that once the INDIA bloc government takes office, they will ensure a thorough investigation into the “Adani Mod(i)us Operandi” to hold those responsible accountable and recover any looted public funds.
