Did SEBI's Clean Chit Confirm Adani Group's Innocence?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- SEBI has cleared the Adani Group of any wrongdoing.
- The investigation was comprehensive and thorough.
- Allegations from Hindenburg Research have been dismissed as exaggerated.
- This ruling is expected to positively influence the future of the Adani Group.
- Related-party transactions were not substantiated by evidence.
New Delhi, Sep 19 (NationPress) The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted a clean chit to the Adani Group, providing significant relief for the conglomerate. Senior attorney Siddharth Luthra remarked on Friday that this ruling clearly indicates that the Adani Group has not engaged in any illicit activities.
"I trust that the market regulator SEBI operates under defined authorities, guidelines, and frameworks, and its past investigations have been thorough. Thus, receiving a clean chit from the regulator is a significant relief for the Adani Group," Luthra conveyed to IANS.
This decision further clarifies that the Adani Group has not committed any infractions, Luthra emphasized.
"While I have yet to examine the report in detail, it will undoubtedly have a highly beneficial effect on the Adani Group moving forward," he elaborated.
In a pivotal victory for the Adani Group, SEBI has wrapped up its inquiries into allegations made by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research.
India's market regulator determined that the conglomerate did not violate any regulations by transferring funds through two private entities, effectively dismissing claims of fraud and hidden related-party transactions.
This final determination debunks the exaggerated assertions made by the short-seller.
The investigation scrutinized transactions involving two private, unlisted companies, Milestone Tradelinks and Rehvar Infrastructure, and publicly listed Adani firms, including Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Adani Power, and Adani Enterprises. This inquiry was initiated following a directive from the Supreme Court after the Hindenburg report surfaced in January 2023.
Hindenburg alleged that these private firms were mere fronts for transactions that should have been disclosed to shareholders as related party transactions (RPTs).
However, SEBI's extensive investigation, detailed in its concluding order, found no substantiating evidence for these allegations. The impact of the LODR Regulations during the investigation period (2018–2023) formed the basis of the regulator's primary conclusion.