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No clarity on who was bribed: Former AG Mukul Rohatgi on Adani-US SEC row

Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said that while the charges refer to allegations of Adanis bribing Indian entities, they do not specify the method of bribery or the persons involved

Mukul Rohatgi

File photo of Former Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi (Photo: PTI)

Abhijeet Kumar New Delhi

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Senior advocate and former attorney general Mukul Rohatgi stated on November 27 that neither Gautam Adani nor his nephew has been accused of violating the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment filed by US prosecutors in a bribery case.
 
Addressing the media, Rohatgi clarified that while the indictment refers to allegations of Adanis bribing Indian entities to secure solar power contracts, it does not specify the method of bribery or the individuals involved.   
 
Speaking in his personal capacity, Rohatgi said: “Count One and Count Five are more important than the others, but neither includes charges against Adani or his nephew. Count One pertains to certain other persons, excluding the two Adanis.”
 
 
According to Rohatgi, Count One alleges a conspiracy to violate the FCPA, but Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani are not named in this count. He further noted that Count Five, concerning obstruction of justice, also does not include the Adanis or any of their officials.
 

Lack of specificity in chargesheet

 
Rohatgi emphasised that the chargesheet lacks crucial details, such as naming the individuals allegedly bribed or the methods used.
 
“You must specifically state that so-and-so committed such acts and bribed certain individuals. This chargesheet alleges that the Adanis bribed Indian entities in connection with power purchases, but it does not contain a single name or detail about who was bribed or how,” he said.
 
He questioned the practicality of responding to such vague allegations: “I don’t know how one can respond to this kind of chargesheet.”
 

Adani Group denies bribery allegations

 
Earlier, Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) stated in a regulatory filing that Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and senior executive Vneet Jaain had been cleared of all bribery allegations by the US Department of Justice, though three indictments were filed.
 
AGEL also refuted media reports claiming that Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and Vneet Jaain were implicated under the FCPA, describing these allegations as “incorrect.”
 
The Adani Group reiterated that while there are allegations of securities and wire fraud, no claims of bribery or foreign corruption have been levelled against its executives.
 
(With agency inputs)

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First Published: Nov 27 2024 | 10:32 AM IST

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