Congress demands SC-monitored probe in Guj drugs haul, Amazon 'bribery' case

New Delhi: Demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the large drugs haul in Gujarat and in the alleged bribery case involving e-commerce firm Amazon, the Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer the nation on these "very serious" issues of national security.

"These issues are concerned with the country's security and those involved in these issues are guilty of sedition and that is why the prime minister will have to answer the nation," said Randeep Surjewala, who is Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson.

Surjwala demanded an SC-monitored probe a day after an official said that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 2,988.21 kg heroin worth crores of rupees from two containers at the Adani-operated Mundra port in Gujarat's Kutch district and subsequently.

"Those involved in these cases are "traitors". Should this matter now not be investigated by a special commission of sitting judges of the Supreme Court and a special SIT be put at their disposal," he said.

He also rejected suggestions of seeking a CBI probe, saying, "How can CBI probe those who are its bosses?" He said that the shocking revelations in the two cases have shaken the conscience of the country.

On the Amazon case, he said that it has now come out that the e-commerce giant spent Rs 8,546 crore in "legal fees", whereas India's Law Ministry's annual budget is only Rs 1,100 crore.

"The so-called alleged bribery of Rs 8,546 crore was being given to whom in the Modi government? Who received the money? Was this money given to annihilate the trade and business of crores of small shopkeepers, MSMEs and traders so that e-commerce company like Amazon could take away their businesses and livelihood?" he asked. Amid reports of Amazon probing bribery-related charges against some of its legal representatives in India, the US e-commerce giant has said that it takes allegations of improper actions seriously and investigates them fully to take appropriate action.

The Congress leader alleged this amount has not been given to a clerk and it is likely that this money is given to top people in this government.

"Will the prime minister of India raise and demand from his US counterpart that criminal action be initiated in the United States for alleged bribery against Amazon. Will the Prime Minister answer whether this is not a serious breach of national security?" he asked.

"The layers of corruption, the unpardonable conspiracy of pushing India's youth into a cycle of drugs, the loss of crores of jobs – the responsibility of Modi government is now writ large," Surjewala said, adding that the government has "totally failed" and these cases should be investigated by a sitting Supreme Court judge. Referring to the Gujarat drugs seizure, he said that it was the world's biggest drugs haul that happened at Adani Mundra Port.

He also alleged that the same company whose drugs were seized imported 25,000 kg of the same types of drugs worth Rs 1.75 lakh crores in June 2021 through the Adani port, perhaps "the biggest ever in the history of the world".