(Reuters) – The former chief minister of India’s Andhra Pradesh state refuted on Thursday bribery allegations and any involvement by the Adani Group in the state government’s purchase of solar power while he was in power.
In his first comments after facing allegations of corruption, Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed any state involvement with Adani in the deal. He said the agreement was between the government and the Solar Energy Corporation of India, which awards power-supply contracts to companies, and no third party.
“Adani meeting me is nothing out of ordinary. He would have met me several times during my tenure. He has got ongoing projects in Andhra Pradesh,” Reddy said in a press briefing.
Reuters earlier reported that the southern state is likely to suspend a power-purchase deal linked to the Adani Group due to Gautam Adani’s indictment in the U.S., and will ask the SECI and the federal government to investigate the charges.
U.S. authorities have accused Gautam Adani, his nephew and executive director Sagar Adani and managing director of Adani Green, Vneet S. Jaain, of being part of a scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure Indian power-supply contracts, and misleading U.S. investors during fund raises there.
Most of the alleged bribes – $228 million – were paid to a government official to entice Andhra Pradesh’s state electricity-distribution companies to agree to purchase power, the U.S. indictment said.
Adani Group has denied all allegations made by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission as “baseless” and said it was fully compliant with all laws.
(Reporting by Rishika Sadam and Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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