Arrest warrant issued for Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar Adani in bribery case in USA
New York: Gautam Adani, the billionaire chairman of the Adani Group, and his nephew Sagar Adani have been indicted in New York over their alleged involvement in a $265 million bribery scheme, according to US prosecutors.
Authorities allege that Adani and seven other defendants conspired to pay bribes to Indian government officials to secure contracts projected to generate $2 billion in profit over 20 years and to develop India's largest solar power plant project.
A judge has issued arrest warrants for both Gautam and Sagar Adani, with prosecutors planning to forward these warrants to foreign law enforcement, court records reveal.
The indictment has had an immediate fallout for the Adani empire. Adani Green Energy cancelled plans to raise $600 million through US dollar-denominated bonds. The bond issue had already been priced but was withdrawn following the news, according to sources.
In early Asian trading on Thursday, Adani dollar bonds experienced a significant drop, with prices for Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone bonds falling by 3-5c. This marks the most substantial decline since the group faced a short-seller attack in February 2023.
Prosecutors also stated that the Adanis and another executive, former Adani Green Energy CEO Vneet Jaain, concealed corruption while raising over $3 billion in loans and bonds. Court documents reveal that conspirators used code names such as "Numero Uno" and "The Big Man" for Gautam Adani, while Sagar Adani allegedly monitored bribe-related details on his cellphone.
Shares of GQG Partners, an Australian investment firm and a key Adani backer, plunged by 20%, marking the steepest one-day decline since the firm’s listing three years ago. GQG Partners, which holds stakes in various Adani companies, has stated that it is monitoring the situation closely.
The Adani Group has not yet commented on the allegations or the indictment.
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Mumbai family deaths: Rat poison ingredient zinc phosphide found in viscera, watermelon sample
Mumbai (PTI): Four members of a family in Pydhonie area of south Mumbai died last month due to rat poison, police officials said on Thursday.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide in viscera (liver, kidney, spleen), stomach contents, bile, and abdominal fat samples of the deceased identified as Abdulla Dokadia (44), his wife Nasrin (35) and their daughters Aayesha (16) and Zaineb (13), said Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Mundhe.
"The watermelon sample also tested positive for zinc phosphide, while all other food items were negative. The report will be studied in depth. We will consult forensic doctors. Further probe in the case is underway," the DCP said.
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Zinc phosphide is used primarily as a highly toxic acute rodenticide to control rats and mice.
"The forensic experts who examined the viscera of deceased Abdulla Dokadia, Nasrin (35), Aayesha (16) and Zaineb (13) found traces of zinc phosphide. It is, however, unclear whether the rat poison was consumed accidentally (or on purpose). So far, we have found no strong reason why the whole family would take such an extreme step," another official said.
Further probe is being conducted by the JJ Marg police station, which has recorded statements of kin and neighbours, he added.
The Dokadia family, residents of Ghari Mohalla on Ismail Kurte Road, had hosted a get-together of relatives on the night of April 25. At around 1 am, hours after the guests had left, Abdullah Dokadia, his wife Nasreen, and daughters Ayesha and Zaineb ate pieces of a watermelon.
They suffered severe bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea in the early hours of April 26 and were rushed to a local hospital before being referred to the government-run J J Hospital where all four died during treatment.
