Billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar at his Mumbai residence Thursday amid the Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue, sources told news agency PTI. Currently, Adani is battling controversy after short seller Hindenburg Research’s report alleging financial malpractice and stock manipulation by the Adani Group.
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The two spoke for nearly two hours, the same sources indicated.
The meeting took place after Pawar last week seemed to back down from an earlier statement – that allegations against Adani be probed by a Supreme Court-monitored team – and said he had ‘no objection’ to the Congress-led opposition’s call for inquiries by a joint parliamentary committee.
“I believe a probe should be conducted… but a JPC will be constituted based on the strength of political parties in Parliament. So, if a 21-member JPC is formed… 14-15 will be from BJP as it has over 200 MPs in the Lok Sabha… (only) the remaining six-seven (will be) from the opposition. The question is – how effectively can these six people work in that committee?” Pawar had reasoned.
“Despite that, if all opposition parties want a JPC to be formed… I have no objection to it.”
The Supreme Court last month set up a six-member committee led by a former judge to probe regulatory aspects of stock markets and make necessary recommendations and suggestions.
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