Not a Shred of Evidence Against Adani Group: Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani on US Allegations

New Delhi: Days after the indictment of business  tycoon Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani in the United States over bribery charges, the Rajya Sabha MP & Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said that there is no evidence against the Adani Group in link with the matter.

Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Jethmalani said that there is nothing to investigate in India in regard with the case and the issue, noised by Congress, was completely misconceived. He also pointed out at the timing of the indictment which came just before the eve of the parliamentary session.

He termed the indictment as "sketchy", claiming that no offence is alleged in the indictment against any of the Adanis or Adani Greens.

Jethmalani said, "As far as the indictment is concerned, it is very sketchy, the timing is very suspicious, it has come just before the eve of the parliamentary session...No offence is alleged in the indictment against any of the Adanis or Adani Greens...There is not a single piece of evidence in this indictment, nor has the Congress party who today has again asked on an adjournment motion for discussion given any evidence as to why any infractions of Indian law were concerned. Even the indictment of the US court does not talk about any bribery in India."

He further said that the indictment only states that there was a conspiracy to bribe Indian officials without any evidence.

"It only says there was a conspiracy to bribe. There is no violation of the Foreign Corruption Prevention Act in India...The case is only one that there was some intention, a conspiracy, a scheme to bribe Indian officials, but there is no evidence that it was carried out. It is not even suggested that it was carried out in India...This adjournment motion and all this noise which the Congress party has made is completely misconceived...," he added.

He also hit out at the Congress for raking up the issue in Parliament for their political gains.

There is Nothing in US Indictment: Jethmalani 

"What is the evidence which proves that there was any conspiracy to bribe Indian officials to get these solar energy contracts? There is nothing in the indictment. The Congress party is relying blindly on an indictment against an Indian conglomerate which has undertaken useful businesses for India abroad and it is trying to undermine them...I repeat, there is no case of any bribery in India in that indictment. Congress is reading too much into this indictment and they are doing it for purely political purposes..."

Attacking the Opposition who is demanding a probe in the matter, the senior advocate said "this is a completely divergent tactic."

Jethmalani further claimed that the Congress and the INDI bloc harp on just two issues namely Adani and Manipur alleging foreign meddling.

Jethmalani said, "This is clearly a political tool. They have just had a rout in the Maharashtra elections. They've been successful winners in coalition on the coattails of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha but Maharashtra was a prize which they were very confident of winning. This is a completely divergent tactic. They have no other issues. You will see that constantly the Congress Party in particular and the INDI alliance sometimes harp on only two issues in which there is foreign meddling. One is Adani and the other is Manipur."

He warned the Congress of staying away from both the matters as "it is not in the country's interest to keep promoting these and playing with fire."

"These are both issues which they should stay away from. I regret to say that it is not in the country's interest to keep promoting these and playing with fire," he added.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the "Congress is blindly relying on US court indictment, which has interest in halting India's economic growth."