NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi continued his criticism of the Adani business group, alleging that they artificially inflated coal import prices, resulting in higher electricity costs for the common people. He pointed to a recent Financial Times report that highlighted how Adani Group had over-invoiced coal from Indonesia.
Speaking at a press conference held at the AICC headquarters, Gandhi claimed that Adani procured coal in Indonesia at one price, but by the time it reached India, the cost had doubled. He estimated that this had cost the poorest citizens of India around Rs 12,000 crore as electricity prices surged. Gandhi expressed his concern over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter and called for a transparent investigation to protect his credibility.
Referring to the Hindenburg report, he emphasised that the alleged financial discrepancies had risen from Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 32,000 crore. He pledged that if Congress came to power in 2024, they would initiate a thorough investigation into these allegations.
The Opposition had been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Hindenburg report’s claims of fraud and stock manipulation by the Adani group. Gandhi criticised the Securities and Exchange Board of India for not obtaining necessary documents related to the case while commending the Financial Times for their investigative efforts.