Indian Govt On Adani Indictment: ‘Legal Matter Between Private Firms & US Justice Department’

New Delhi: Just over a week after the indictment of top Adani Group executives, including its chairperson Gautam Adani in the US, the Indian government commented on the issue for the first time on Friday.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed newspersons that India was neither informed by the United States about the investigation in advance, nor has Indian Embassy in the US received an arrest warrant or legal request so far.

Jaiswal stated that the indictments in an alleged bribery case are a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice.

“This is a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. There are established procedures and legal avenues in such cases which we believe would be followed. The Government of India was not informed in advance of the issue,” Jaiswal said.

“We haven’t had any conversation also about this matter with the US government… Any request by a foreign government for the service of a summons/arrest warrant is part of mutual legal assistance. Such requests are examined on merit. We have not received any request on this case from the US side,” Jaiswal clarified.

US prosecutors on November 21 charged Gautam Adani with involvement in a plan to allegedly pay in excess of $250 million in bribes to state government officials in India for solar energy contracts.

Dismissing the allegations as “baseless”, Adani Group vowed to seek “all possible legal recourse.”

Adani’s indictment in the US provided another cue for Opposition parties, led by Congress, to corner the Modi government.

Also Read: Gautam Adani Indictment: Here’s What Sagar Adani’s ‘Encrypted Bribe Notes’ Messages Revealed

“You think the Adanis are going to accept the charges. Which world are you living in? Obviously, he is going to deny the charges,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Calling for his arrest, Rahul said: “Hundreds of people are being arrested on tiny charges and the gentleman (Adani) has been indicted in the United States for thousands of crores. He should be in jail… The government is protecting him,.”