Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Gautam Adani should be arrested immediately, and his protector Madhabi Puri Buch should be investigated. 

The Senior Congress leader’s statement follows after US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Group, with his alleged involvement in a plan to pay over $250 million in bribes to government officials in India for solar energy contracts.  

Mentioning that Gautam Adani has been indicted in the United States, Rahul Gandhi questioned why the billionaire is still running around as a free man in India. He stated that it is now pretty clear and established in America that Gautam Adani has broken both American law and Indian law. 

Addressing a press conference, the Congress MP claimed that the recent developments vindicate his long-standing allegations against Gautam Adani. He said that they have been raising the allegation with the Madhabi Buch issue. Taking a sharp dig at the Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi is protecting Gautam Adani, and is also involved in corruption. 

Further, taking a swipe at PM Modi’s slogan, Ek hai to safe hai, the Leader of Opposition asserted that as long as the prime minister and Gautam Adani are together, they are safe in India. He added that no actions will be taken against Adani in India. 

He further mentioned that Chief Ministers have been jailed for scams of Rs 10-15 crore, but Gautam Adani, who has committed a scam of Rs 2000 crore is walking free. He demanded that Gautam Adani should be arrested immediately, and his protector, Madhabi Puri Buch should be removed and probed for not taking actions.

Rahul Gandhi also said that he will bring up the issue of Gautam Adani’s alleged involvement in corruption during the upcoming winter session of Parliament set to begin on Monday. He asserted that being the leader of opposition, it is his responsibility to raise the issue, and assured that they will expose the entire network, which will eventually collapse. 

With the voting concluded in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and EVM and VVPAT being sealed and secured for the November 23 counting day, the focus shifts to what exit polls predict for the states. NDA is likely to form government in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, while exit polls predict setbacks for the INDIA alliance.

According to exit polls, the Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) will cross the majority mark with 150-160 seats in Maharashtra, while Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP) at 110-120.

In Jharkhand, the BJP-led alliance is likely to snatch away power from the JMM-led alliance, as per the exit polls, projecting 44-53 for NDA and  25-30 for the Opposition INDIA.

A gentle reminder on the exit polls prediction that in recent Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the results turned out completely different and surprising from what was being predicted.

In Jharkhand, the BJP contested on 68 seats, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) 10 seats, Janata Dal (United) 2 seats, and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 1 seat, while Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested in 41 seats, Congress 30 seats, RJD 6 seats, and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) 4 seats.

In Maharashtra, under Mahayuti, the BJP contested in 149 constituencies, Shiv Sena in 81, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded 59 candidates, while under MVA, Congress contested in 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) fielded 86 candidates.

“Who can be a bigger surveyor in Jharkhand than us? We have been in Jharkhand for the last 3 months. We have seen how people wished for change. I am sure that the people have voted for BJP-NDA. We are going to form the government with a huge mandate,” said Union Minister and BJP’s Jharkhand election-incharge Shivraj Singh Chouhan on exit polls prediction.

“As per the trends that we have received from several agencies, BJP-led NDA has an edge in the state and we will form the government,” said state BJP chief Babulal Marandi.

“The trends are in favour of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and we will win more than 175 seats in the state,” said state Congress chief Nana Patole.

The Manipur government in its order today extended suspension of mobile internet services for three more days in seven districts.

After the recent fresh violence, the administration suspended the services on November 16 for two days in an effort to prevent anti-social elements from spreading content that might create law and order problems. It had been extended for two more days on Monday.

The statement said that the state government after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation decided to continue suspension of mobile internet services in the territorial jurisdiction of Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi of Manipur for another three days.

Earlier on November 16, the administration imposed the suspension on both broadband and mobile internet services. Nonetheless, it lifted the restriction on broadband services on Tuesday, considering the hardships faced by common people, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other offices.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday has expressed grief over the killing of six people by suspected Kuki militants last week and said that those behind the gruesome act will be brought to justice soon.

The Chief Minister said that search operations are underway to find the killers of the three women and children, whose bodies were recovered from a river in Jiribam district last week. He also termed the killing of women and children as a crime against humanity.

Taking to X, CM N Biren Singh said that he stands here with profound sadness and anger to condemn the horrific killings of three innocent children and three innocent women by Kuki terrorists after being taken hostage at Jiribam.

He added that such barbaric acts have no place in any civilized society, and assured that the hunt for these terrorists is currently underway and they will be brought to justice very soon. The administration will not rest until they are held accountable for their inhuman actions, he concluded.

Reportedly, the six people had been missing since November 11 from a camp for the displaced in Jiribam, following a gunfight between militants and security forces that led to the deaths of 10 insurgents.