Plea in Madras High Court Seeks Probe Into Gautam Adani's Alleged Corruption, Cites US Indictment In Bribery Case

A plea has been filed in the Madras High Court urging the Indian government to investigate corruption charges against businessman Gautam Adani, following his indictment by the United States (US) Department of Justice (DOJ) in a corruption case.

The petition, filed by Advocate and Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi (DMSK) President ML Ravi, calls for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the involvement of agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the allegations.

The petition highlights the DOJ's findings, which accuse Adani, along with other businessmen and power distribution companies from various Indian states, of engaging in a bribery scheme to secure solar energy contracts in India.

According to the DOJ, Adani's group allegedly paid bribes totaling $265 million, with a significant portion directed to officials in Andhra Pradesh, to secure contracts with state electricity distribution companies between 2001 and 2023.

The indictment also alleges that the group misled investors and lenders in the US by concealing the corruption involved in these deals. Ravi argues that while the US authorities have exposed these alleged acts of corruption, Indian investigative agencies have yet to take action, leaving the public to question their inaction.

He contends that the failure to investigate the matter domestically is an insult to India’s 1.4 billion citizens and undermines public trust in government institutions. Ravi emphasised that corruption erodes the credibility of public institutions and hampers national development, making a thorough investigation crucial.

The plea stresses the need to hold public officials accountable for allegedly misusing their power for personal gain, and seeks a comprehensive probe to uncover the full extent of the corruption. This development comes at a time of growing scrutiny of Gautam Adani's business practices, with several state governments now reassessing and recalling contracts linked to the Adani Group.