Congress demands independent probe into coal scam involving 'Modi's friend' Adani


New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS): Taking the attack further against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over crony-capitalism, the Congress on Monday targeted the centre over a stalled probe against the Adani Group and demanded a time-bound, independent probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into an alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam involving over-valuation of coal imports.

Days after Adani Group moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash all Letters Rogatory (LRs) issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Congress launched a frontal attack on the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for being silent on the scam involving "Modi's industrialist friend" Gautam Adani.

"Jailtley writes blogs on every issue, but he is silent on this. He should write a blog on this. He doesn't have the power to take any action," said Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh.

Earlier, a Singapore court had rejected Adani Global's plea, seeking a stay to produce documents pertaining to coal imports to India mostly from Indonesia. After that, the group moved the Bombay High Court on August 28.

The DRI had alleged that the companies inflated the price of coal they were importing from Indonesia to siphon off money abroad and to avail higher power tariff compensation.

"In October 2014, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence announced that there was a huge scam on coal import and a probe was initiated on the over-invoicing of import of coal. On March 31, 2016, DRI gave a new statement that 40 companies are involved in this scam and it is worth Rs 29,000 crore," said Ramesh.

In September 2017, a PIL was filled at the Delhi High Court by an NGO run by (Advocate) Prashant Bhushan and it demanded a Special Investigative Team (SIT) probe.

"On March 9, 2018, DRI in a litigation in the Delhi High Court said there was no need for an SIT and that it was probing the 40 companies and showcause notices were issued to four companies," he said, adding the companies given notices belonged to Gautam Adani, Anil Ambani and the Essar group. Seventy per cent coal import in our country is done by Adani Group of Companies, he said.

"Adani Group filed a litigation in the Singapore court urging the documents, which are available with SBI (State Bank of India) Singapore branch, on the issue should not be given to the Indian government," he said.

On May 20, 2016, the then Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia (now Finance Secretary) wrote to SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya saying the bank should provide those documents to DRI so that the probe could be completed, he said.

"After four days, she replied to Adhia saying the documents can't be provided because it was against Singapore law," the Congress leader added.

Taking a dig at Modi, Ramesh said the Prime Minister went to Singapore three times in four years but could not get the documents.

"Did the PM raise this issue with them? We want to ask him even after meeting Singapore Prime Minister (Li Hsein Loong) four times, why he couldn't get those documents from Singapore SBI. It is not a Singapore government-run organisation. Even Singapore PM came to India once. They have a good rapport," he said.

"The probe has been stalled for four years. But no action has been taken against the company so far," Ramesh said. He also stated that the CBI had registered an FIR in the case on January 22 this year.

He asked the Prime Minister what action had he taken to get those papers from Singapore SBI. "They will keep writing letters but nothing will happen to the investigation because it is a case of crony capitalism," Ramesh said.

"We demand the the DRI probe should be impartial and time-bound. The government should talk to the Singapore government and all papers should be provided to the DRI," he said.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Katapadi/Bangalore

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    This is a welcome suggestion and no one need to perturbed if not involved in the coal scam

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohan, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    Now BJP scams over scams coming into light.....
    1..note bandhi scams more than 3lack crores is biggest scams of the world....
    2... modi foreign scam..35000crores...
    3...Adhani coal scam . 40000 crores....
    4....Rafael deal ...43000 crores...
    5....choksi. 15000 crores...
    6.....neerav modi.. 16000crores..
    7... . Shah. . Property scam...50 000 crores...
    8.. . Modi foreign tours.. 35000crores
    9 ....modi good imports and suit boot.. 1500 crores..
    10 ... BJP ministers usb.lap..15000crores..
    11...petrol and diesel scam...more tha 0ne lack crores...
    12... GST...scam 25000 crores...
    13 ... bullet train .. yet to identify....more than 25000 crores..
    14..... in the name swacha Bharat...10000crores..
    15 ... in name ganga cleaning more than 10000crores...
    16 ... in the name of yoga .. more than 1000 crores..scam..

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Truth Teller, Karnataka

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    What concrete evidence!?. Let BJP and Adani go to court and file a defamation suit against Congress!!!!. Lokpal in cold storage, CAG is faithful dog! And that Chaddi Brasta Investigation team!!!. Let BJP and Adani prove their innocence!!!!

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    When a good friend - of the 13,000 crores borrowing fame - of the Gujju-bhai moved to Antigua, we got to hear about. No action on brininging him back, but that is a different matter.

    But how much do we know about Adani? Is he a citizen of India at all? If he is a citizen of India, why so many of his holding companies are registered in Cayman Islands or Mauritius - well-known tax havens? Does he pay any tax in India?

    Search in google for Adani Files. You will be surprised.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    Prior to the 2014 elections the Gujju-bhai criss-crossed India using Adani's plane.

    If it were not for the generous help provided by Adani-bhai, the Gujju-bhai would never have been in Delhi.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lakshmeesha, Udupi

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    All gujarathis are known for over invoicing bills and under reporting income to govt. nothing new here. ..its only a few thousand crores of our money. let them steal yaar...they were crooks and will continue to be crooks...

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    Proof?

    DisAgree [11] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    There is no concrete evidence... Only projections...

    DisAgree [18] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rational thinker, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 04 2018

    Mr Senior Elder, please don't try to blindly support even before knowing what is what. We never conclude that there is a scam but you can't simply jump into conclusions.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • anthony, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    The Bofors scam at 60 Crores looks like Peanuts when compared to this coal scam and the Rafale Scam.

    Modis dialouge " Na Kaoonga Na Kisi Ko Kane Doonga "is now becoming like" Sab Ko Kane Doonga".

    DisAgree [2] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    56" Bada Sinewala. Sirf Doston Ko Khilake Kayega. Bahuth Seeda Insaan. Mooh Hamesha Kulla Raktha Hai.

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    Ambani & Adani are family friends of Narendra Modi & in times of trouble only Fiends Help ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Mon, Sep 03 2018

    Adani and Ambani's Achche Din have started since 2014 by the grace of great friend...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Congress demands independent probe into coal scam involving 'Modi's friend' Adani



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