Modi Denies Discussing Adani Bribery Case with Trump

Washington, Feb 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he did not discuss the bribery charges that the US government had levelled against infrastructure tycoon Gautam Adani during his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

At a press briefing at the White House, Modi was asked if he raised the indictment of Adani and his key associates in a New York court over his involvement in an alleged bribery scheme.

"Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our culture and our thought philosophy is, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. We consider the whole world as one family. I believe every Indian is mine," he said.

He then went on to state that such "individual issues" are not discussed when two world leaders meet.

"Two prominent leaders of two countries never discuss such individual issues," he said.

Trump made no mention of the case during the presser.

Last year, the Department of Justice under the previous President Joe Biden charged Adani for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (about Rs 2,100 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.

This was concealed from the US banks and investors from whom the Adani group raised billions of dollars for the project, the prosecutors had alleged last year citing US FCPA law that allows pursuing foreign corruption allegations if they involve certain links to American investors or markets.

Adani group has denied the allegations as baseless.

President Donald Trump earlier this month signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to pause enforcing a nearly half-century-old law that was used to launch a bribery investigation against the Adani Group.

Trump signed an order to pause enforcing of the 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) that prohibits American companies and foreign firms from bribing officials of foreign governments to obtain or retain business.

The President directed US Attorney General Pam Bondi to pause enforcement of FCPA, which was at the heart of some of the US Department of Justice's most high-profile cases, including an indictment against Indian billionaire and Adani Group head Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar.

The pause and the review is being seen as a relief to the Adani Group but it remains to be seen what stand the DoJ takes after the six month review period.

The order that Trump signed asked "the Attorney General to review guidelines and policies governing investigations and enforcement actions under the FCPA" in 180 days.

"During the review period, the Attorney General shall cease initiation of any new FCPA investigations or enforcement actions, unless the Attorney General determines that an individual exception should be made," it said.

Also it sought "review in detail all existing FCPA investigations or enforcement actions and take appropriate action with respect to such matters to restore proper bounds on FCPA enforcement and preserve Presidential foreign policy prerogatives".

FCPA investigations and enforcement actions initiated or continued after the revised guidelines or policies are issued "shall be governed by such guidelines or policies; and must be specifically authorized by the Attorney General".

After the revised guidelines or policies are issued, the Attorney General shall determine whether additional actions, including remedial measures with respect to inappropriate past FCPA investigations and enforcement actions, are warranted and shall take any such appropriate actions or, if Presidential action is required, recommend such actions to the President, it added.