Gautam Adani’s empire hit by fresh allegations against India’s market regulator

Adani Group companies shed as much as $19 billion in market value on Monday after Hindenburg Research accused the Indian market regulator probing the group of having links to offshore funds also used by Adani.

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s flagship firm Adani Enterprises fell 2% in morning trade, while other companies in the group fell between 2% and 4.5%. Adani Enterprises and Adani Ports were among the biggest losers on India’s blue-chip Nifty 50 index. Total losses in Adani companies narrowed to $9 billion after the early plunge.

Hindenburg, named after the 1937 airship disaster, is a New York-based short seller. It caused one of the most stunning upheavals in India’s corporate history in January 2023 when it alleged improper use of tax havens and stock manipulation by the Adani Group. Short sellers make money by betting the value of shares will fall. In this case Hindenburg made $4.1 million.

Adani denied all the allegations at the time and shares in his companies have mostly recovered from a $150 billion rout. An investigation by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) continues.

On Saturday, Hindenburg said, citing whistleblower documents, that SEBI Chair Madhabi Puri Buch and her husband held stakes in an offshore fund where a substantial amount of money was invested by associates of Vinod Adani, brother of Gautam Adani.

“The allegations are coming for the second time. (A) lot of investigations have happened over the last year and a half. This is a temporary, knee-jerk reaction. Things will get back to normalcy,” said Sunny Agrawal, head of fundamental equity research at SBICAPS Securities.

India's Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani addresses the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a business event to