At least 21 international organisations have written to CJI DY Chandrachud and requested the Supreme Court to speedily resolve the pending case filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, investigating Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of Indonesian coal imports.
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NEW DELHI: A coalition of 21 international organizations has urged Chief Justice DY Chandrachud to expedite the resolution of a pending case involving the Adani Group. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is investigating the conglomerate for allegedly overvaluing coal imports from Indonesia.
This appeal follows a report by the London-based Financial Times, which referenced documents from the George Soros-backed Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The report suggested a “fraud” by the Adani Group, alleging that the company sold low-grade coal as high-value fuel in 2013.
The organizations, all committed to combating the use of fossil fuels, emphasized that the Financial Times report provided new and detailed evidence.
They asserted-
“Adani Group passed off low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel in transactions with Tamil Nadu’s Tangedco.”
The 21 international organizations include
- Australian Centre for International Justice
- Banktrack
- Bob Brown Foundation
- Culture Unstained
- Eko
- Extinction Rebellion
- Friends of the Earth Australia
- London Mining Network
- Mackay Conservation Group
- Market Forces
- Money Rebellion
- Move Beyond Coal
- Seniors for Climate Action Now
- Stand.Earth
- Stop Adani
- Sunrise Movement
- Tipping Point
- Toxic Bonds
- Transparency International Australia
- W&J Nagana Yarrbayn Cultural Custodians
- Queensland Conservation Council
Despite the serious allegations, the Adani Group has firmly denied any wrongdoing. Opposition leaders, including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, have seized on the report to demand a joint parliamentary committee probe into the alleged misconduct.
A spokesperson for the Adani Group countered the claims, stating,
“The quality of the coal was independently tested at the point of loading and discharge, as well as by customs authorities and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (Tangedco) officials.”
“With the supplied coal having passed such an elaborate quality check process by multiple agencies at multiple points, clearly the allegation of supply of low-quality coal is not only baseless and unfair but completely absurd,”
-the spokesperson added.
“Moreover, the payment is dependent on the quality of coal supplied, which is determined through the testing process,”
-he continued, emphasizing that tests for the consignment in question had yielded results within permissible limits.
The group also clarified that the vessel cited in the report, purportedly used to carry the coal in December 2013, had not been employed for shipping coal from Indonesia before February 2014.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has reaffirmed its commitment to resume investigations into the Adani Group for the alleged overvaluation of coal imports. In March 2016, the DRI initiated a probe against several Adani Group companies for allegedly overvaluing coal imports from Indonesia between 2011 and 2015.
The international appeal underscores the global concern over the allegations and the broader implications for corporate accountability and environmental sustainability. As the Supreme Court deliberates on this matter, the spotlight remains firmly on the need for transparency and justice in corporate practices.
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