HC orders inquiry into Adani deal

The High Court yesterday ordered the energy ministry to conduct a high-level inquiry into the government's electricity purchase deal with India's Adani Power Limited in 2017.

In response to a writ petition, the HC asked the government to investigate whether there were any irregularities involved in the process of making the agreement with Adani Power and submit a report in three months.

As such, the secretary to the energy and mineral resources ministry has been instructed to form a high-powered committee with international energy and legal experts within a month. The committee will then be required to submit a detailed report in the following two months.

The court also asked the relevant government authorities to submit documents regarding the process leading up to the deal with Adani Power. At the same time, the HC also issued an order asking the relevant government authorities to explain why the Adani deal should not be declared illegal.

It fixed February 25, 2025, for the next date of hearing.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury gave the directives and the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Abdul Qaiyum challenging the legality of the power purchase agreement signed on November 5, 2017.