Adani and Essar over-invoicing case: Court-monitored probe, Delhi HC seeks CBI response on pleas

The Bench directed the investigating agency to file its status report into the matter in two weeks and listed the petition for further hearing on May 1.

It also directed the Central government to place their stand on the allegation raised in two different petitions filed against the alleged over-invoicing of equipment and fuel imported for power plants. The petitions were filed by NGOs — Centre for Public Interest Litigation and Common Cause — and by former bureaucrat and social activist Harsh Mander, who have sought a court SIT probe into the issue. However, DRI opposed the pleas and said that they are “carrying out investigation in an effective and expeditious manner, and thus the present petition deserves to be dismissed”.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for the two NGOs, alleged that over-pricing was a cause for the rising number of NPAs of the banks. The petitioners alleged Adani and Essar have set up shell firms abroad which buy equipment and then sell them to power firms at inflated prices.