Bhubaneswar: Allegations of corruption involving an Adani Group firm in Odisha is likely to test the BJP-led state govt, which has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against corruption.
The BJP govt, led by chief minister Mohan Majhi, has built its reputation on anti-corruption initiatives, having filed criminal cases against 144 individuals in the past five months. Official records show 102 arrests have been made — 27 of them Class-I officers and 12 Class-II officers — since the BJP has come to power, primarily for bribery and possessing disproportionate assets.
On Friday, following allegations by US prosecutors that Adani Green had bribed bribed officials across multiple states, including Odisha, in connection with a green energy deal, law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, “appropriate agencies will investigate the alleged bribery,” adding that “procedures will be followed, and clarity will emerge post-investigation”.
Both the Adani Group and the previous BJD govt have, however, dismissed these allegations.
The allegations specifically concern a power purchase agreement between Gridco and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for 500 MW solar power. Sources said that following the allegations, senior govt officials and Gridco authorities met at Lok Seva Bhawan to assess the situation.
The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) had previously approved these agreements under the manufacturing-linked and interstate transmission system-connected solar programme. The project enjoyed customs duty exemptions for solar cells and modules under MNRE guidelines for bids submitted before Mar 9, 2021.
More recently, in Feb 2023, Gridco and SECI had signed another agreement for 400 MW wind power procurement from projects in Karnataka and Gujarat, scheduled to commence in 2024-25 with tariffs ranging from Rs 2.96 to 3.01/unit.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Srikant Jena, meanwhile, has accused the Narendra Modi govt of protecting Adani’s interests, pointing to the company’s expanding control over state resources. Rabi Behera, convenor of Odisha State Power Consumers Mahasangha, has called for an assembly committee investigation.