CBI books Adani Enterprises for alleged fraud in getting coal supply contract in 2010
The agency said that Adani Enterprises received the contract in violation of tender conditions.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked Ahmedabad-based company Adani Enterprises Limited and three former senior employees of the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India for alleged corruption in a contract for coal supply in 2010, The Indian Express reported on Friday.
In a first information report filed on Wednesday, the CBI framed charges against the company, the then NCCF Chairperson Virender Singh, former Managing Director GP Gupta and senior advisor SC Singhal under sections of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. NCCF is a government-owned cooperative society.
The agency said that Adani Enterprises received the contract in violation of tender conditions and NCCF officials provided details of a bid by another company so that it can quote the same margin for coal supply.
The CBI has alleged that the officials favoured Adani Enterprises for the contract floated by Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation on June 29, 2010, for the supply of six lakh tonnes of imported coal, according to Mint.
The FIR alleged that the NCCF officials’ acts of “omission and commission” revealed that they acted in “a manner as unbecoming of public servants” and had conspired with Adani Enterprises. “Instead of cancelling the bid of Adani Enterprises Ltd, senior management of NCCF conveyed the offer margin of NCCF to the company through one of its representatives Munish Sehgal who was sitting in the NCCF head office on July 10, 2010 in the evening...,” the report said.
The CBI alleged that Adani Enterprises used a proxy company, Vyom Trade Links Limited, to float a bid but the company later “withdrew its offer on flimsy ground”, IANS reported.
A company spokesperson said: “Adani Enterprises Ltd has complied with the process, all formalities and relevant laws for the subject supply of coal. The company has not done anything wrong in supply of coal. It’s a preliminary investigation report only. The company shall respond to the same and shall also put forth the factual position to the authority.”
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