Jagan sends legal notices to Telugu dailies, seeks 'unconditional apology' for reports on Adani Gate & SECI deal

Hyderabad: Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday sent legal notices to popular Telugu language newspapers Eenadu and AndhraJyothy seeking an apology in connection with their reportage on the recent indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani by a US court over solar power sale deals through a central government enterprise SECI to several states including Andhra Pradesh.

It was alleged that during 2021 and 2022 Adani Group paid bribes to senior officials of the state governments to secure these solar power purchase deals.

In his legal notices, Y S Jagan has demanded an unconditional apology, which should be prominently published on the front page of their newspapers.

The notices state that the publications have misrepresented judicial proceedings in the United States involving multinational corporate entities, including Gautam Adani, to falsely link Y S Jagan to bribery and corruption. The baseless allegations have caused significant damage to his personal and political reputation, the notice said.

“Under the instructions of my client, I am constrained to issue this notice calling upon you to tender an unconditional apology to my client, prominently published in the front page of your newspaper forthwith, for causing the subject publications, which are false, untruthful not being a true and accurate reportage of judicial proceedings, containing scandalous imputations to me with prior knowledge and belief that it would cause harm to my reputation and with the clear mens rea to cause such harm to me,” read the legal notice issued by Jagan's advocate.

The notices emphasize that the agreement with SECI was entirely transparent and aimed at benefiting the people of Andhra Pradesh. SECI, a Government of India entity, offered power at the lowest tariff of Rs 2.49 per unit with significant cost advantages, including a waiver of interstate transmission charges.

This agreement, approved after thorough regulatory scrutiny by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) and the Ministry of Power, resulted in savings of Rs 4,420 crore annually and over Rs 1 lakh crore in 25 years for the state.

The legal notices further stated Eenadu and Andhra Jyothi are publishing politically motivated stories driven by their alleged allegiance to TDP and its leader, N Chandrababu Naidu. They claim the newspapers are acting as media arms of the TDP, spreading malicious and unverified reports to undermine YS Jagan achievements.

The notices also highlighted that these defamatory stories were intended to divert attention from YS Jagan governance, which prioritized transparency and fiscal responsibility. They include detailed evidence and supporting documents to refute the claims made by the newspapers.

He has called for both Eenadu and Andhra Jyothi to issue public apologies prominently displayed on their front pages and digital platforms.