JPC will be set up within one month of INDIA bloc govt formation to probe 'Adani scam': Congress
New Delhi, May 22: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Modi government over a media report that claimed that the Adani Group passed off low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel in transactions with a Tamil Nadu PSU, and said that a JPC will be set up within one month of an INDIA bloc government taking office to probe such allegations.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed that a "huge coal scam" has come to light under the BJP government and through this "scam", "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's favourite friend Adani" has looted thousands of crores of rupees by selling low-grade coal at three times the price, which the common people have paid from their pockets in expensive electricity bills.
There was no immediate reaction from the Adani group but in the past, the conglomerate has rejected all such allegations.
Financial Times, citing documents secured by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), reported that Adani Group passed off low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel in transactions with the public sector Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "Will the Prime Minister tell how many tempos were used to keep ED, CBI, and IT quiet on this open corruption? After June 4, an INDIA bloc government will investigate this mega scam and account for every penny looted from the public."
In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said as the election momentum of the INDIA coalition accelerates, the tempo of revelations about the 'Modani Mega Scam' has also picked up.
"An investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), reported by the Financial Times newspaper, has found that dozens of shipments of low-quality, high-ash coal bought cheaply by Adani from Indonesia in 2014 were sold fraudulently at three times the price to the public sector Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) as high-quality, low-ash coal," Ramesh said.
Adani made excess profits of Rs 3,000 crore from this while the common person was made to suffer overpriced electricity and elevated air pollution, Ramesh alleged.
"This is yet another example of the impunity with which the PM's close friends have enriched themselves in the past decade by violating the law and exploiting the most vulnerable Indians as they are left to struggle for basic needs like cheap electricity and clean air," he said.
Pointing out that air pollution kills 20 lakh Indians every year, Ramesh said, "'Amrit Kaal' for the PM and his cronies is 'Vish Kaal' for everyone else".
He alleged that the prime minister may have helped Adani to stall all the investigations carried out into its illicit activities in India, but the information pouring in from Indonesia and other countries has only shown how close those investigations were to unveiling the truth before PM Modi "bailed out his partner".
"The case to permit the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to investigate Adani's coal over invoicing has languished in the Supreme Court, but the OCCRP documents show exactly how the over-invoicing and money laundering has occurred for years under the noses of India's usually overactive investigative agencies," he said.
Ramesh said previous OCCRP investigations have shown how much of the coal over-invoicing has been masterminded by Adani associates Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli and Chang Chung-Ling.
"The proceeds of their crimes have been used to amass illegal stakes in Adani Group companies and to pump up their stock values. It is a matter of public record how other business persons similarly accused of over-invoicing coal, and that too in much smaller amounts, have been arrested without bail and had their properties attached by the ED. But Modani suffers no consequences," Ramesh said.
All this will change when the INDIA bloc government takes office next month, Ramesh said.
"A joint parliamentary committee will be set up within one month to investigate the 'Modani Mega Scam' -- the illegal over-invoicing of coal and power equipment, the laundering of Rs 20,000 crore of illegal proceeds back into Adani companies, the manner in which the Modi regime forced Indian businesses to divest their assets to Adani and the cost that Indian consumers have paid in high electricity prices and airport fees to enrich the PM's cronies. Each and every element of the Adani Mod(i)us Operandi will be thoroughly investigated," he said.
भाजपा सरकार में भीषण कोयला घोटाला सामने आया है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 22, 2024
वर्षों से चल रहे इस घोटाले के ज़रिए मोदी जी के प्रिय मित्र अडानी ने लो-ग्रेड कोयले को तीन गुने दाम पर बेच कर हज़ारों करोड़ रुपए लूटे हैं, जिसकी कीमत आम जनता ने बिजली का महंगा बिल भर कर अपनी जेब से चुकाई है।
क्या प्रधानमंत्री… pic.twitter.com/05bqI4azvh
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RCB secure IPL playoff berth with 23-run win against Punjab Kings
Dharamsala (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on fluent half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer, along with a decisive opening spell from pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, to thrash Punjab Kings by 23 runs and seal a playoff berth in the IPL here on Sunday.
Kohli (58 off 37 balls), Iyer (73 not out off 40 balls) and Devdutt Padikkal (45) produced impactful knocks as RCB piled up 222 for 4 in 20 overs.
Bhuvneshwar (2/38) then removed the dangerous Punjab Kings opening pair of Priyansh Arya (0) and Prabhsimran Singh (2) early to all but shut the door on the opposition, who eventually managed 199 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs.
Pacer Rasikh Salam (3/36) compounded Punjab Kings' misery by dismissing skipper Shreyas Iyer (1) in the fourth over as the hosts slumped to 19 for 3.
Late-order batters Shashank Singh (56 off 27 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (37 off 25 balls) attempted to revive the innings with a counter-attacking effort, but the towering RCB total ultimately proved far beyond PBKS' reach.
Earlier, Kohli stitched together a 76-run stand with Devdutt for the second wicket to lay the foundation before adding another 60 runs with Venkatesh for the third wicket as table-toppers RCB delivered yet another authoritative batting display.
Brief Scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 222 for 4 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 58, Devdutt Padikkal 45, Venkatesh Iyer 73 not out; Harpreet Brar 2/35).
Punjab Kings: 199 for 8 in 20 overs (Cooper Connolly 37, Suryansh Shedge 35, Marcus Stoinis 37, Shashank Singh 56; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/38, Rasikh Salam 3/36).
