Cover-up in making, SEBI must take strictest action against Adani-related entities: Cong

NEW DELHI: The Congress Wednesday said a "cover-up" is in the making after reports claimed entities connected to the Adani Group have approached the SEBI seeking settlement in a case that alleges violations of public shareholding norms through unfair practices.

It asserted the "scam" requires serious punitive action, including arrests and raids by investigative agencies.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said a token settlement would make Indian institutions a laughing stock whose reputation has already been tarnished by the actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "his cronies".

His remarks come amid reports that several entities connected to Adani Group have approached the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) seeking settlement in a case that alleges violations of public shareholding norms through unfair practices at four listed companies of the infrastructure conglomerate.

"A cover-up is in the making. Reports that opaque offshore entities and individuals linked to the Adani Group -- whose activities have been exposed by successive reports in the public domain -- have offered to settle serious allegations of violations of securities laws for token amounts is a clear indicator of this," Ramesh said in a statement.

These reportedly involve investments in four companies, Adani Enterprises, Adani Power, Adani Energy Solutions and Adani Ports and SEZ, he said.

"While any settlement would be proof of guilt, which vindicates our 'Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun' campaign, it also appears to be heading towards a light slap on the wrist under the direct patronage of the PM," the Congress general secretary said.

"The Adani Mega Scam requires serious punitive action, including arrests and raids by investigative agencies which has been the norm with all those who are not close friends and financiers of the prime minister. We urge SEBI to take the strictest action against these entities," Ramesh said.

He further said that another reason for concern is the conflicts of interest of SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch who invested in the opaque offshore funds that have been accused of facilitating the violations of these very laws via benami investments.

"Far from resigning or being removed, she is now in a position to make a settlement with those whom she has been protecting all along," Ramesh said.

"The violations are not simply of public shareholding norms; there is plenty of evidence that the money used to pump up Adani Group share prices was laundered by over-invoicing of thousands of crores of coal and power-equipment imports," he alleged.

Adani-linked middlemen Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli built up benami stakes of 8-14 per cent in these firms using shell companies in locations such as Mauritius, the UAE and the British Virgin Islands, he claimed.

The Congress has stepped up its attack on the Adani Group and the government after Gautam Adani, the founder chairman of the ports-to-energy conglomerate, his nephew Sagar and another key executive were charged by the US Department of Justice of being part of an alleged scheme to pay USD 265 million bribes to the Indian officials to win contracts for the supply of solar electricity that would yield USD 2 billion profit over a 20-year period.

The Adani Group has denied all allegations as baseless.

The Congress has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Adani issue over allegations in India and abroad.

The opposition party has said that Adani's indictment in a US court on bribery and fraud charges "vindicates" its demand for a JPC investigation into the various "scams" involving the billionaire industrialist's conglomerate. Gandhi has sought Adani's immediate arrest.