Adani-backed Ambuja Cement's officer arrested for bribery attempt in Odisha

Rambhav Gattu was arrested for Rs 2 lakh alleged bribery attempt in Odisha, money hidden in box of sweets handed over to govt official

The chief manufacturing officer of Ambuja Cement, Adani Group’s cement arm, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe a government official. The Odisha Vigilance Directorate reported that Rambhav Gattu, who holds a senior role at the company’s operations in Chhattisgarh, was detained after offering a bribe of about Rs 2 lakh to Aditya Goyal, the collector of the Barghar region in Odisha.

Rs 2 lakh bribe hidden in box of sweets

According to the Vigilance Directorate, Gattu presented Goyal with a flower bouquet and a box of sweets, which was later found to contain Rs 2 lakh in cash. The incident occurred on Wednesday when Goyal, suspecting the package, asked his staff to open it, revealing four bundles of 500-rupees notes. The collector then informed vigilance authorities, leading to Gattu’s arrest on the spot.

Ambuja Cement official charged with corruption

A formal case has been filed against Gattu under the Prevention of Corruption Act, specifically Sections 8, 9, and 10, which deal with bribery-related offenses. Following his arrest, Gattu was presented in court, where his bail plea was denied, and he was remanded to judicial custody.

While the motive behind the bribe remains unclear, the Odisha Vigilance Directorate confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. More details are expected as the probe progresses, which may shed light on the nature of the attempted inducement.

Ambuja Cements is currently executing an ambitious expansion plan to increase its production capacity to 140 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2028, up from its current capacity of 77.4 MTPA. This target aligns with the group’s strategy to capture 20 per cent of India's cement market by the 2028 financial year. Despite the arrest of one of its senior executives, Ambuja Cements remains focused on its long-term goals of sustainable growth and market leadership.

Neither Ambuja Cements nor the Adani Group have made any official statements on the matter.

[With inputs from Reuters]