Adani Group on cash for query allegations against Mahua Moitra: 'This corroborates our...'

A spokesperson for the Adani Group on Monday issued a statement a day after Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai filed a formal complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which he described as "the commission of an elaborate criminal conspiracy".

The alleged conspiracy revolves around the actions of Member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of the Hiranandani Group.

The complaint claimed that Moitra and Hiranandani orchestrated a plan to specifically target Gautam Adani and Adni Group firms through parliamentary questions.

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"In a shocking development, on Sunday, 15 Oct 2023, a Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, filed a complaint with the CBI in the form of a sworn affidavit bringing on record “the commission of an elaborate criminal conspiracy” by MP Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of Hiranandani Group, for specifically targeting, inter alia, Gautam Adani and his group of companies through parliamentary questions. He has further stated that, as a quid pro quo, Moitra received bribes and undue favours from Mr. Hiranandani," said the Adani spokesperson.

"This development corroborates our statement of 9 Oct 2023 that some groups and individuals have been working overtime to harm our name, goodwill and market standing. In this particular case, the lawyer’s complaint reveals that this arrangement to besmirch the reputation and interests of the Adani Group and our Chairman Gautam Adani has been in place since 2018," the spokesperson added.

The Hiranandani Group has denied the allegations, saying that the charges against it have no merit and that they have always been in the business of business and not in the business of politics. "We have always been in the business of business and not in the business of politics. Our group has always worked with the government in the interest of the nation and will continue doing so," said a spokesperson of the Hiranandani Group.

Adani Group referred to its statement of last week where it had stated that “some foreign entities like the OCCRP, supported by a section of the foreign media, short-sellers and domestic collaborators, have launched a series of attacks against the Adani Group with the primary intent of dragging down its market value.” “In fact, these individuals and groups, bound by the common objective of damaging the Adani Group, have developed a playbook which is being executed to perfection by a well-oiled and professional machinery working in sync both within India and abroad,” it said adding “one (of the) tactic in their playbook” was to put out media reports recycling “baseless allegations” ahead of the hearing of an Adani-related case in the Supreme Court.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging that Trinamool Congress MP took bribes for raising questions in Parliament to “protect the interest of a business group.” Dubey had claimed advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had “shared irrefutable evidence of bribes exchanged” between Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani.

In Parliament and outside, Moitra had been making allegations against the Adani Group.

After US short seller Hindenburg Research in January came out with a damning report alleging financial fraud and stock manipulation at Adani Group, she has been perhaps the most vocal individual Parliamentarian of the ports-to-power

The group has denied all allegations.

After writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker on Sunday, Dubey, whom Moitra had previously charged with using a “fake” degree, wrote to the Telecom and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to investigate the IP addresses of her log-in credentials for the House.

Responding to Dubey’s letter, Moitra said, “all parliamentary work of MPs is done by PAs, assistants, interns and large teams”, and requested Vaishnaw to release the details of the locations and log-in credentials of all the MPs with Call Data Records (CDRs). She also asked the information technology minister to release information on the training given to the staff to log in.

On Sunday, she said, “Am using all my ill-gotten cash & gifts to buy a college/ university in which Degree Dubey can finally buy a real degree. Please @ombirlakota @loksabhaspeaker finish the enquiries against him for false affidavits & then set up my enquiry committee.” “If Adani group is relying on dodgy dossier created by dubious Sanghis & circulated by fake degree wallahs to either shut me up or bring me down I would advise them not to waste their time. Use your lawyers wisely,” she had said in a series of posts on ‘X’.