Adani Row: Rahul accuses Adani Group of 'fleecing' people through inflated coal imports

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cited a media report to accuse the Adani Group of fleecing people to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore by making them pay more for electricity rates through over-invoicing of coal imports and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a probe and come clean on the issue.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Gandhi said the Congress, if voted to power, would order an investigation into the matter in 2024 and attacked Modi for his silence and questioned why he was not initiating a probe into the matter to defend his credibility.

"Why is the prime minister silent on the issue I am only helping the prime minister and asking him to come clean by starting an investigation and defend his credibility," Gandhi said.

The former Congress chief displayed a recent Financial Times report at the press conference which claimed that the Adani Group appears to have imported billions of dollars of coal at prices well above market value.

Gandhi claimed that as per the report Adani over-invoiced coal imports and took out Rs 12,000 crore from "people's pockets".

Adani bought coal in Indonesia and when it reached India, its price doubled, Gandhi alleged, citing the report.

Gandhi claimed this over-invoicing of coal was having an impact on electricity rates in the country and leading to consumers paying higher electricity bills, with some Congress-ruled states having to pay subsidies to the poor.

Asked whether the Congress would initiate a probe if voted to power, he said, "Surely, we would order an investigation when we come to power".

He also said that this story would have brought down any government in the world but no action was being taken in India.

"The Financial Times has a huge story. This story would bring down any government. This is direct theft by a man, who has been protected again, and again, and again by the Prime Minister of India," he said.

"We are giving electricity subsidies in Karnataka, and going to do in Madhya Pradesh and while we are giving electricity subsidies, Mr. Adani is over invoicing coal and stealing directly from the people of India, and I don't understand why the Prime Minister doesn't comment on this. This cannot happen without the protection of the Prime Minister of India. It is impossible. So, the question is- why is there no action being taken on this gentleman," he also said.

Askd whether Congress-ruled states, which are paying subsidies to the poor in lieu of high electricity rates, would initiate a probe into this, Gandhi said, "We will look into it."

On whether he has questioned Sharad Pawar for supporting Adani, the former Congress chief said, "Sharad Pawar is not the Prime Minister of India. Sharad Pawar is not protecting Mr. Adani, Mr. Modi is and that is why, I ask Mr. Modi this question and not Mr. Sharad Pawar. If Mr. Sharad Pawar was sitting as the Prime Minister of India, and if he was protecting Mr. Adani, then I would be asking Mr. Sharad Pawar that question."

BJP Reaction

The opposition party has also 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. There was no immediate response from the group on the fresh allegations.

The BJP on Wednesday highlighted corruption charges against the Gandhi family as it hit back at Rahul Gandhi for his attack on the government over the reports of inflated invoicing by the Adani Group in coal imports.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed the matter involving the business conglomerate is in the Supreme Court and Gandhi's comments on the issue shows he has no faith either in the Constitution or in the apex court.

Alleging that the Gandhis are the "most corrupt" family in the world, Bhatia said at a press conference that Rahul Gandhi is himself on bail in the National Herald case.

The Congress leader never speaks on the corruption charge against him and the alleged scams of his brother-in-law Robert Vadra, the BJP leader said.