DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES, `17 IN ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 ENERGYFIRMAZUREACCUSEDOFCOLLUSION;YSRCP denies wrongdoing, says regulator approved deal FORPOWERCONTRACTS,PAIDBRIBES,LIEDTO investors&bankstoraisebillionsof dollars:Indictment US Govt indicts Gautam Adani, alleges Rs 2,000-cr bribes to ‘Indian officials’ Baseless, denied: Group; indictment alleges Adani met then Andhra CM before power deal BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY LetterofAwardon Dec10,2019 ADANI GREENS (8 GW) SECI (GOI) LetterofAwardon Dec10,2019 AZURE POWER (4 GW) SIGNS POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT (PSA) ON Dec1,2021 NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 21 contracts” with state electricity distribution companies. In a parallel move, the US CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 July22,2021 Aug12,2021 Sep16,2021 Odisha Discom (500 MW) Chhattisgarh Discom (300 MW) Tamil Nadu Discom (1,000 MW) J&K Discom (100 MW) DEC 10, 2019: Adani Green & Azure get SECI contracts to supply 8 GW & 4 GW, respectively DEC 25, 2020: Adani Green & Azure agree to price reductions in contract JULY 22, 2021: SECI signs PSA with Odisha discom for 500 MW, allegedly after a bribe of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” AUG 2021: Gautam Adani meets Jagan on Andhra not inking a PSA with SECI SEPT 12, 2021: Sagar Adani meets Jagan DEC 1, 2021: Andhra enters into PSA with SECI for 7,000 MW, allegedly after a bribe of `1,750 crore Between July 22 and December 1, 2021, SECI entered into PSAs with Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, in addition to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Adani shares plunge by up to 23%, Group scraps Rahul says arrest Adani, PM protecting issue of $600-mn bond him; Cong damaging economy: BJP ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 21 THE EDITORIAL PAGE THE CLOUD DARKENS EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 21 cused the Congress of “attacking the Indian market and trying to make it tank to damage the Indian economy”. It said the “matter pertains to the time between July 2021 and February 2022” when “Chhattisgarh, AndhraPradesh,TamilNaduand Odishaallhadnon-NDAgovernments… they had governments of the Congress or their allies”. The Left parties said the CBI mustbedirectedtoimmediately file a case based on the material provided by the prosecution in the US. “Prime Minister Modi SHARESOFAdaniGroupcompanies plummeted by up to 23 per cent Thursday and the group scrapped its $600-million bond issue after US prosecutors indicted Adani Group Chairman Gautam S Adani and seven othersforallegedlyofferingRs2,029 crore in bribes to Indian government officials for securing “lucrative solar energy supply contracts” with state electricity distribution companies. Indictment of Gautam Adani and others by US prosecutors calls for a transparent probe. Seeing a foreign hand isn’t the answer PAGE12 ‘Waving black flag not illegal’: Kerala HC junks case of protest against CM Northeast MPs weigh in on Manipur crisis: ‘President’s rule needed, why is Centre mum?’ SHAJU PHILIP AS MANIPUR continues to deal with the fallout of a fresh round of violence, MPs from several northeastern states, particularly those bordering the violence-hit state, have urged the Centre to find a quick solution to the problem even if it involves taking THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOVEMBER 21 OBSERVING THAT showing a blackflagtoapersonisnotanillegal act and does not amount to defamation,theKeralaHighCourt has quashed a case registered against three persons in connectionwithwavingablackflagatthe convoy of CM Pinarayi Vijayan. IntheverdictonWednesday, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas also said protests were essential for effective democracy. In the incident that took place in 2017, the three young men from Paravur in Ernakulam district were accused of waving a black flag at the convoy of Vijayan with an intention to defame him, and when police tried to restrain them from proceeding towards the convoy, they allegedly used criminal force by pushing police personnel. Police had submitted a chargesheet against them at a magistrate court in Paravur in 2020. They were booked under CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PAGE 1 ANCHOR RELATED REPORTS PAGES 15, 16 Adani Group companies lost a total of Rs 2.22 lakh crore in CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 DEEPTIMAN TIWARY & VIKAS PATHAK NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 21 THE WORLD THE INDICTMENT of Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani by prosecutors in the US for allegedlyofferingRs2,029crorein bribes to Indian government officials triggered a political firestorm Thursday with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanding Adani’s immediate arrest and alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “protecting” him. The ruling BJP, in turn, ac- some tough political decisions. While some MPs that The Indian Express spoke to held the N Biren Singh-led state government responsible for the failure to maintain peace in Manipur, othersfelttheissuewascomplex and required deft handling by the Centre. A few also advocated the imposition of President’s Rule in the strife-torn state. “My solution (to the problem) is the imposition of Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, Thursday. Anil Sharma Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh President’s Rule, which will enable the Centre to settle everything by being involved directly. The number of armed Meiti and Zopeopleinvolvedintheconflict CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 isgreaterthanthestrengthof the Manipur police. The CM may want to stop the violence but does not have the resources as his policemen are either supportingthemilitantsorareafraid of them. The Indian Army can stoptheviolenceinaweek,”said K Vanlalvena, Rajya Sabha MP from Mizoram and Mizo National Front (MNF) leader. However,Vanlalvenawasnot CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BHOPAL, NOVEMBER 21 PAGE 14 Former Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy SREENIVAS JANYALA & NIKHILA HENRY HYDERABAD, NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 21 INDUSTRIALISTGAUTAMAdani’s indictmentintheUS,whichstates thatmorethan85%ofthealleged bribe was given to a top-ranking official in Andhra Pradesh, has drawnamutedresponsefrompoliticalpartiesinpowerinthestate, particularly the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP). According to the indictment, Adani “personally met with Foreign Official 1 in Andhra Pradesh to advance the executionof PSA(powersupplyagreements) between SECI (Solar EnergyCorporationof India)and AP’s state electricity distribution companies, including on or aboutAugust7,2021,onorabout September 12, 2021 and on or about November 20, 2021”. The “Foreign Official 1”, according to the indictment, “had servedasahigh-rankinggovernment official of Andhra Pradesh from May 2019 to June 2024”. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPRESS NETWORK AHEAD OF FRIDAY PRAYERS, SAMBHAL TOWN TURNS INTO A FORTRESS COURT ORDERS ATTACHMENT OF BIKANER HOUSE PAGES 10, 11 For MP power couple separated by parties, closing personal divide is a bridge too far ANAND MOHAN J ICC ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS AGAINST NETANYAHU, HIS FORMER MINISTER 50 KILLED AS GUNMEN ATTACK PASSENGER VEHICLES IN PAK Focus on Jagan, but NDA ally TDP treads with caution Feb10,2022 Andhra Discom (2,000 MW) AGGAM WALIA & AANCHAL MAGAZINE US PROSECUTORS in New York indicted Adani Group Chairman Gautam S Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and six others on Wednesday for allegedly offering Rs 2,029 crore (US $265 million) in bribes to Indian government officials for securing “lucrative solar energy supply THE ‘BRIBERY SCHEME’, ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES are knowntohavesplitparties,communities, and even families. In Madhya Pradesh’s tribal-dominated Balaghat district, a politicaldividehasdrivenawedgebetween a power couple, one of whosepoliticalstarsseemstobe onthewaneandtheotherwhose political influence is rising. The Munjaresof Balaghatarenowinvolved in a public spat triggered Former MP Kankar Munjare, now with BSP, and MLA wife Anubha Munjare, who is with the Congress by their decade-old photo with former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh. A three-time former MLA and a former MP, 72-year-old KankarMunjare’speersdescribe him as a “headstrong leader” who likes to stick to his opinions and not exactly a team player, a sortof alonewolf.Hethricewon the Assembly polls from Paraswada — in 1985 for the Janata Party ticket, in 1993 for the Karantikari Samajwadi Manch, and for the Janata Party CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Mamata comes down heavily on police: ‘Won’t tolerate corruption, will reshuffle CID’ Tells DGP Kumar to take stern action ‘irrespective of their political colour’ EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, NOVEMBER 21 ACCUSING A section of the police force of being corrupt and givingabadnametohergovernment, West Bengal Chief Minister on Thursday said she would completely reshuffle the CID, the Criminal Investigation Department, of the state police. After chairing a meeting of top officials of her government, the chief minister said that stern action should be taken against those involved in corrupt practices “irrespective of their political colour”. “Some lower-level officers, whodonotlikethisgovernment, including some police officers, are taking money and allowing theft in sand, coal, cement and stones... Why is the Land Department sitting idle? Why are they quiet? I had already askedthemtocallfortendersfor sand and stone mining. In coal, the CISF is taking money and allowing theft,” the chief minister said at a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat. “If there is a political person involved, catch him by his collar. The law must be applied to all withoutdiscrimination.Takeaction according to the law. I will not allow all this. I will not save anyone involved in corruption,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee RELATED REPORT ABHISHEK BANERJEE AS HOME MINISTER? PROPOSAL SPARKS A FEUD IN RULING TMC PAGE 3 the chief minister asserted. “I will completely reshuffle the CID, strengthen the STF (SpecialTaskForce)andtheAntiCorruption Bureau (ACB),” she added. The chief minister also directed Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar to look into the complaintsreceivedagainstsome officers and take action in case those were found to be genuine. “If there are complaints (against policeofficersorpoliticalpersons), verify it. Take strong action,” the chief minister told Kumar who was present at the press meet. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Army launches probe into charges of ‘ill-treatment’ of civilians in Kishtwar 4 from a village allegedly tortured in custody after being called to camp ARUN SHARMA JAMMU, NOVEMBER 21 THE ARMY on Thursday launched a probe into allegations of “ill-treatment” of civilians during searches for a group of militants by troops in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. “Based on specific intelligence of the move of a group of terrorists in the Kishtwar Sector, an operation was launched by Rashtriya Rifles on November 20,” the White Knight Corps, the official social media account of 16Corps,IndianArmy,postedon X. “There are some reports on the alleged ill-treatment of civilians during the conduct of the operation.Aninvestigationisbeing launched to ascertain the facts.Necessaryfollow-upaction will be ensured.” “Further move of the group of terrorists is being monitored,” it added, tagging the Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information and the Northern Command. Kishtwar Senior Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal, when contacted, said the police are verifying the allegations. According to sources, the Army will probe allegations that four men from Kuath village were tortured in custody. According to sources, the men received a phone call on Wednesday morning, asking them to report to an Army camp in Kishtwar. The call was made against the backdrop of the killing of a Junior Commissioned Officer of the Army and injuries to three soldiers in the Chask area on November 10. Days earlier, on November7,twovillagedefence guardswereabductedandkilled by militants in the Keshwan forests of Kishtwar. The allegations of torture emerged just two days after Northern Army Commander Lt Genera M V Suchindra Kumar visited Kishtwar and reviewed the security situation there. In December last year, three civilians were killed, allegedly in custody, after troops picked them up for questioning in connection with a terror attack on Army vehicles in Poonch. Down Under warms up: Punjabi & Hindi headlines, flashbulbs, chats EXPRESSINAUSTRALIA SRIRAM VEERA PERTH, NOVEMBER 21 “HOW IS your kid doing,” India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah asks his Aussie counterpart Pat Cummins.Theyareafewfeetand acoupleofminutesawayfromthe unveiling of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that they will be fighting for over five Test matches from Friday at Perth. Cummins is all smiles, and asks the same question to Bumrah, who launches intoalongexcitedreplyabouthis one-year-old son Angad. Light bulbs are flashing around them as photographers and broadcasters are busy capturingvisualsfortheirpre-series packages. Oblivious, Cummins says, “that moment when the kid first walks”, and both — the ODI World Cup winning captain and world’s best fast bowler — go “awww”. The media representative yanks them to the here and now and reminds them about why they are. Photos are taken with the trophy, and once again the twoshuffle tothesidetoresume some more paternal chat. It is hard to believe the two teams with the fiercest rivalry in world cricket are about to start their freshest battle in a day’s time. But then it’s also scarcely believable that the Australian cricketing establishment, the media, and even the government has been almost going “awww” about this IndiaAustralia Test series. Usually,theAustralianmedia acts as their team’s 12th man. They are known to give a snarly treatment to the visitors. Once Australia captain Pat Cummins and his Indian counterpart Jasprit Bumrah at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Thursday. Express England’s Kevin Pietersen was famously welcomed by a huge headline across the local newspapers that read “The Ego has landed”. In contrast, the Indian team has almost been feverishly giddily welcomed. Newscorp,anAustraliannews agencywithavastimprintacross newspapers, took out full-page cricketfeatures,splashingimages of the likes of Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal with headlines that ran in Punjabi and Hindi. Almostadvertorialinthecontent, newspapers have run glowing pieces about Indian players. Diverse Australia is making an effort to be inclusive. It hasn’t escaped the local population with roots in the subcontinent. Jafri, a cabbie of Pakistan origin, says, “Yeh toh hona hi tha (This was bound to happen). India has all the money in cricket bhai. Finally, our side of the world is being recognised and respected. Hopefully soon, they will call my name also properly: Arabic ka Jafri, not English Geoffrey!” Money does matter, of course. Australian cricket, which was struggling during the pandemic and had to even show the doors to the then CEO Kevin Edwards, is expecting a jackpot from this India series. Back then, in 2020, it was re- ported that Cricket Australia (CA), the body that runs cricket, had to take a loan of A$300 million from Commonwealth Bank. TheIndianseriesin2021,though shrouded in the pandemic, helpedtheAustralianboard.And in October this year, they announced a deficit of A$31.9 million ($21.34m). CA insiders say that television rights money from this India series would bankrolltheircricketforthenext couple of years. The bonhomie ahead of the series was started during Australian Prime Minister AnthonyAlbanese’svisittoIndia CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata