Will set up parliamentary panel to probe Adani ‘coal scam’: Rahul

New Delhi, May 22

Reacting to a media report alleging a coal scam by Adani Group, the Congress today said if voted to power on June 4, the party would set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the case.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was reacting to reports in international business newspaper Financial Times that alleged that Adani Group had sold low-grade coal to Indian public sector undertaking TANGEDCO passing it off as a “cleaner fuel”. He said it was a “mega scam” and said “we will take account for every penny looted from the public”.

Firm refutes charges

• Reports in international business newspaper Financial Times alleged that Adani Group had sold low-grade coal to Indian public sector undertaking TANGEDCO passing it off as a “cleaner fuel”
• Adani Group was quoted in report denying the allegations of fraud. A spokesperson for the group said the quality of the coal was independently tested at the point of loading and discharge, as well as by customs authorities and TANGEDCO scientists

Adani Group was quoted in the Financial Times report denying the allegations of fraud. “A spokesperson for the group said the quality of the coal was independently tested at the point of loading and discharge, as well as by customs authorities and TANGEDCO scientists”. “With the supplied coal having passed such an elaborate quality check process by multiple agencies at multiple points, clearly the allegation of supply of low-quality coal is not only baseless and unfair but completely absurd,” the newspaper report quoted the Adani spokesperson as saying.

Congress general secretary Jairam 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.”

Ramesh went on add, “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.”

Earlier in the day, Rahul said on X, “A huge coal scam has come to light under the BJP government. Through this scam that has been going on for years, Modiji’s favourite friend Adani has looted thousands of crores of rupees by selling low-grade coal at three times the price…. It is the price the common people have paid from their pockets by paying expensive electricity bills.”

“Will the Prime Minister tell how many tempos were used to keep the ED, CBI and IT quiet on this open corruption?” he said. He was referring to an election speech by PM Narendra Modi where the latter had accused industrialists of sending truckloads of unaccounted money to the Congress leader.

The newspaper report said documents were secured by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.