SEBI should stand firm, finish its probe into Adani matter in timely manner: Congress
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday urged the SEBI to stand firm and finish its investigation into the Adani matter in a timely manner, even as it reiterated that only a JPC probe can investigate the full scope of the issue.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh cited a media report which claimed that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has asked the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) to give it access to key documents about the allegations of stock manipulation and accounting fraud against the Adani Group.
"Recently, the Organised Crime & Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) found clinching evidence that Adani associates were controlling opaque shell companies in overseas tax havens that had amassed huge stakes in Adani Group companies. All this was done in blatant violation of SEBI regulations," Ramesh said.
Major global papers like the Financial Times and the Guardian covered the story in detail, he pointed out.
"The Adani Group and its minions in the BJP attempted to discredit OCCRP as 'Soros-funded interests'. Now, it emerges that SEBI itself had approached OCCRP to get access to the documents proving that Adani was in fact indulging in round-tripping and money-laundering benami funds," Ramesh said.
"Will Adani apologists attack SEBI as conspiring with Soros? Does this not prove that SEBI is finally taking these disclosures seriously and attempting to fulfill its duty to the nation," he said.
"We urge SEBI to stand firm and finish its investigation in a timely manner. However, we reiterate that only a JPC can investigate the full scope of the Adani MegaScam, including the close and enduring relationship, financial or otherwise, between the PM and his friend Adani," Ramesh said.
The opposition party has been questioning the financial dealings of billionaire Gautam Adani's Group after US research firm Hindenburg alleged "irregularities" and charged it with stock price manipulation.
The Adani Group has denied all the allegations made in the Hindenburg report and claimed there had been no wrongdoing on its part.
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World No. 1 Chakravarthy achieves career-best rating in ICC T20I bowler rankings
Dubai (PTI): India spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Wednesday consolidated his position at the top of the ICC Men's T20I Bowler Rankings, reaching a career-best rating following a stellar show in the ongoing T20 series against South Africa.
The 34-year-old Chakravarthy earned a new best rating of 818 points on the back of his third consecutive two-wicket haul in five-game home series.
The right-armer has six wickets across the first three matches of the series, with his spell of 2/11 from four economical overs in the most recent contest in Dharamsala proving pivotal in India's clinical seven-wicket triumph.
Chakravarthy (818 rating points) now holds a 119-point advantage over his closest rival in New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy (699) in second-place, while also moveing inside the top 10 for the best rating of all-time for T20I bowlers.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh also improved four places to 16th overall on the rankings for T20I bowlers on the back of his Player of the Match heroics against the Proteas in the third game.
For South Africa, Marco Jansen (up 14 spots to 25th), Lungi Ngidi (up 11 rungs to 44th) and Ottneil Baartman also improved, reaching 68th from outside the top 100.
Among T20I batters, India now boast two players inside the top five on the rankings, with Tilak Varma gaining two spots to move to fourth overall after a trio of decent innings against South Africa.
Teammate Abhishek Sharma maintains a decent buffer at the top, while South Africa duo Aiden Markram (up eight places to 29th) and Quinton de Kock (up 14 spots to 43rd) made good ground following some decent recent efforts.
Pakistan's Saim Ayub has a narrow lead at the top of the rankings for T20I all-rounders despite not playing any international matches across the last week, with India's Shivam Dube the big mover on this list as he improves two places to 16th.
