‘Why is Gautam Adani still roaming free?’: Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi is his shield

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, 21 November, demanded the immediate arrest and interrogation of industrialist Gautam Adani, following allegations of a Rs 2,110 crore corruption scandal.

His remarks came after the US department of justice indicted Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, issuing an arrest warrant against the business tycoon.

At a press conference in Delhi today, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting the billionaire.

“Adani won’t be arrested because the Indian Prime Minister is standing behind him, shielding him,” he alleged. Gandhi said that as Leader of the Opposition, he regarded it as his duty to take up this matter.

Citing the US indictment, Gandhi said, “It is now clear and established in the US that Mr Adani has broken both American and Indian laws. He has been indicted in the US. Why is he still roaming free? Chief ministers and others have been arrested for far lesser charges. Yet Mr Adani, despite a Rs 2,110 crore scam, remains untouched.”

Gandhi said the day Gautam Adani is arrested, Modi too would find himself “trapped”.

Gandhi alleged that a powerful nexus led by PM Modi has “hijacked India”.

The Congress leader demanded the immediate removal of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch as well.

He called for a thorough investigation into the alleged corruption, emphasising that the probe must begin with Adani.

According to the US department of justice, Adani has been implicated in:

1. Paying bribes worth over Rs 2,110 crore to Indian government officials between 2020 and 2024, in order to win solar energy contracts

2. Misleading investors by concealing key information that should have been disclosed to SEBI

3. Illegally securing multibillion-dollar contracts across several Indian states

4. Destroying evidence and obstructing justice during investigations into the bribery allegations

Gandhi's scathing remarks have reignited the debate over the Modi government’s alleged complicity in shielding influential industrialists from legal scrutiny.

The latest revelations surrounding Gautam Adani have also provided fresh ammunition for the Opposition to corner the Narendra Modi government in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, scheduled to begin on 25 November.

Despite the government's refusal to accept the Opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi remained steadfast, vowing to raise the matter in Parliament.

“It is my responsibility as Leader of the Opposition to bring this issue to light. The Prime Minister is 100 per cent shielding Adani, who in turn supports the BJP.”

“We will demand a JPC again; but more importantly, Adani must be arrested. His protection by the PM and a network of individuals holding various positions has hijacked India,” said Gandhi.

Gandhi also emphasised that the INDIA bloc stands united on the Adani issue.

When asked “Why has nothing happened?”, he replied: “It’s not that nothing has happened. We have successfully exposed that Modi and Adani are inseparable, Adani acts as the PM’s bagman, and this is now clear to the Indian public.

“Many individuals in this corrupt network will be uncovered, and we will continue exposing them. This structure, built on corruption, will collapse”.

Meanwhile, the Adani group’s spokesperson issued a statement asserting, ‘The allegations leveled by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and categorically denied.’

‘As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, ‘the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.’ All possible legal recourse will be sought,’ the statement concludes.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge too put out a statement on X, noting that ‘When a top ranking Indian businessman is indicted by a foreign country, it tarnishes our image [on] the global stage.’

‘@narendramodiji’s “Ek Hain, Toh SAFE Hain” is about One Monopoly to protect the looted SAFE!,’ he added, accusing the Modi government of supporting unfair business practices such as profiteering and creating a nexus of crony capitalism that ‘severely hurts our people — poor and middle class, aspiring entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startups and crores of small and medium retail investors, for it widens inequalities by snatching savings and opportunities’.