Biggest money heist since 1947: Jairam Ramesh's Adani reference to PM Modi

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Money Heist' dig, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh drew a reference to Adani, saying that the nation seeks an explanation from the government on the "biggest money heist since 1947".

"The nation wants you to explain the biggest "money heist" since 1947. Your close friend Adani siphons out Rs17,500 crore from India by inflating the prices of imported coal and power equipment. He brings another Rs 20,000 crore back into India via offshore shell companies and inflates his stock prices under SEBI's eyes. He borrows billions from banks at his service using inflated stocks as collateral. He invests the money in projects kindly gifted to him using ED, CBI and IT. He zooms from literally nowhere to the second richest man in the world," Ramesh said in a post on 'X' on Tuesday.

The senior Congress leader said that the people pay the price for Adani's rise via "inflated electric bills".

"Who pays for this unprecedented growth? Janta (people) via inflated electric bills!" Ramesh said.

Pointing to a media report on the Adani Group maintaining a relationship with a controversial contracting firm controlled by a Taiwanese family, he said, "We know how desperate you are to divert attention from the latest twist involving Chang Chung-Ling and the Adani Group. It won't work."

Jairam Ramesh's post came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post, in which he said that the Congress looted the country for 70 years.

Taking a fresh swipe at the Congress over the recovery of over Rs 300 crore in cash from premises linked to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu in his native Jharkhand and neighbouring Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that one need not be hooked on to popular Netflix series 'Money Heist' when the story of the Congress 'looting' public money over the last 70 years was unfolding before their eyes.

'Money Heist' is a Spanish crime thriller known for its intricate and twisted plot.

Sharing a video posted by the BJP on its official handles across social media platforms, with the caption 'Congress presents the MONEY HEIST!', on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted, "In India, who needs 'Money Heist' fiction. When you have the Congress Party, whose heists are legendary for 70 years and counting!"

The video depicts Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge standing alongside Dheeraj Sahu. It also shows glimpses of Congress Rajya MP Sahu walking alongside Rahul Gandhi as part of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

A character's face in the Netflix series has also been edited in the video shared and is replaced by the face of Rahul Gandhi, who is seen diving into a huge pile of cash.

The Income Tax Department has, so far, netted Rs 351 crore in cash during its searches at Boudh Distillery Private Limited, a company based in Odisha.