Amid the Adani bribery scandal, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced that his government has refused a Rs 100 crore donation from the Adani Foundation towards the newly established Young India Skill University. A letter from Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan to Adani Foundation’s chairperson Priti Adani said that he was instructed by CM Revanth not to seek transfer of funds, “in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies.”

“Telangana has nothing to do with the controversies surrounding Adani Group in neighbouring states and in other countries,” CM Revanth said, addressing a press meet on Monday, November 25. 

The move comes days after the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicted Gautam Adani on corruption charges. According to the charges, between 2020 and 2024, Adani and his associates conspired to bribe Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts for Adani Green Energy Ltd and Azure Power Global Ltd. These projects were projected to generate $2 billion in profits over 20 years. 

The Young India Skills University is a Telangana government project intended to promote skill development among the youth. Earlier on October 24, Gautam Adani had donated Rs 100 crore for the university from the Adani Foundation, chaired by his wife Priti. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had called Revanth’s acceptance of the donation hypocritical, as the Congress outside of Telangana has been questioning Gautam Adani’s close association with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government. 

On November 25, CM Revanth told the media that many companies have come forward to provide funds under the Skills University’s corpus fund, and that the Adani Group’s Rs 100 crore offer was one among them. “So far, the Telangana government has not accepted funds from any company including Adani Group,” the Chief Minister said. 

“In the wake of the ongoing controversies, the government wrote a letter stating that it is not ready to accept the Rs 100 crore donation offered by the Adani Group. Telangana has nothing to do with the controversies surrounding the Adani Group in neighbouring states and in other countries,” Revanth said. 

Revanth also lashed out at BRS for its own association with Gautam Adani in the past. “They entered  so many agreements with Adani and are now accusing us,” he said, referring to past meetings between former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, former BRS Minister KT Rama Rao and Gautam Adani, as well as deals made with the Adani Group under the BRS government. 

It may be noted that former Andhra Pradesh CM, Jagan Mohan Reddy has also been named in the indictment. He is accused of handing over the solar energy contract to Adani and his associates in exchange for a bribe of Rs 1750 crore.

Also read:

Breaking down the Adani bribery allegations: What the US indictment reveals 

Congress MP moves adjournment motion demanding discussion on Adani 

Documents show Adani misled investors on corruption probe, will SEBI act?