The Adani Group hit back at TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra and Hiranandani Group CEO Darshan Hiranandani. On Monday, the Adani Group, in a statement, said it was clear that some groups and individuals have been “working overtime” to harm the conglomerate’s “name, goodwill and market standing”.

Adani’s statement comes a day after Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai filed a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation, in the form of an affidavit, bringing on record allegations that Moitra received bribes and undue favours from Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament on Gautam Adani.

A spokesperson from the Adani Group said, “In this particular case, the lawyer’s complaint reveals that this arrangement to besmirch the reputation and interests of the Adani Group and our chairman, Gautam Adani, has been in place since 2018 …”

On Sunday, the BJP’s Nishikant Dubey demanded immediate suspension of MP Mahua Moitra over the allegations of “taking bribes to ask questions” in Parliament.

In the letter to the Lok Sabha speaker, Om Birla, Dubey cited alleged breach of parliamentary privilege, contempt of House, and criminal conspiracy by Moitra as grounds for her suspension.

The Adani Group further said, “On October 9, we had apprised the public, through a media statement and exchange filings, that some foreign entities, like the OCCRP, supported by a section of the foreign media, short-sellers, and domestic collaborators, have launched a series of attacks against the Adani Group with the primary intent of dragging down its market value.

“In fact, these individuals and groups, bound by the common objective of damaging the Adani Group, have developed a playbook which is being executed to perfection by a well-oiled and professional machinery working in sync both within India and abroad,” it added.

We also pointed out that one tactic in their playbook includes putting out media reports with “an uncanny ability to appear just before the hearing dates of important cases” in India’s courts.

“True to predicted form, the Financial Times published a story recycling baseless allegations against the Adani Group on October 12, 2023, just a day before the hearing of an Adani-related case in the Supreme Court. We are issuing this statement in the interest of all our stakeholders, including our shareholders,” the Adani Group said.

Releasing an official statement over the Financial Times report, the conglomerate had earlier said: “There is a renewed attempt by the Financial Times and its collaborators to rehash old and baseless allegations as part of their extended campaign to advance vested interests under the guise of public interest.”