Political heat rises over Adani indictment in AP

Vijayawada: The allegations against the Adani Group that bribes to the tune of $265 million, with a large chunk directed at the officials of Andhra Pradesh to secure contracts with the state electricity distribution companies between 2021 and 2023, raised the political heat in the state.

According to the complaint filed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, the official was the ‘Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh’. The allegations are that ‘Foreign Official 1’ from Andhra Pradesh had received the bulk of the bribe between May 2019 and June 2024. It was Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy who was the Chief Minister during that period.

While the ruling alliance and the TDP decided to be calculated in their comments, Opposition parties like the CPI and CPM have demanded a thorough probe into the allegations by the US Department of Justice and the FBI.

IT Minister Nara Lokesh said while they were aware of the US court case, they would reserve their response for the present. It needs to be studied carefully, he added.

The Adani Group, however, has denied the allegations. In a statement, it said: "The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against the Directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied.”

The TDP official spokesperson said it was a complex issue and that they were examining it. It may be mentioned here that the government’s decision to be cautious in this case was on many counts. Naidu had recently met the Adani Group seeking investments for green energy projects. Any hasty move could jeopardise the relationship with the Adani Group.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna has called for a judicial probe into the issue. The CPM has called for an independent investigation by the CBI.