India's Andhra Pradesh state likely to suspend Adani power deal, sources say
Suspension of deal likely to be announced soon, source says
Would be first such move by an Indian state since US indictment
Adani has said charges in US indictment baseless
Adds detail, background in paragraphs 3-8
By Sarita Chaganti Singh and Aftab Ahmed
NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (Reuters) -India's Andhra Pradesh state is likely to suspend a power purchase deal linked to Adani Group due to the U.S. indictment of the group's billionaire founder Gautam Adani over an alleged bribery scheme, two state government sources said.
The southern state will ask the federal government and the Solar Energy Corporation of India, which awards power supply contracts to companies like Adani, to investigate the charges, the sources said.
The suspension, likely to be announced soon, would be the first such action by an Indian state government after U.S. prosecutors charged Gautam Adani and seven others with agreeing to pay bribes of $265 million to unidentified Indian government officials to obtain solar power-supply contracts.
Most of the alleged bribes - $228 million - were paid to a government official to get Andhra Pradesh's state electricity distribution companies to agree to purchase power, the U.S. indictment said. Adani has said the allegations are baseless.
The power supply to Andhra Pradesh under the agreement was scheduled to start from next year, according to one of the sources.
"The decision will be taken very soon," the second source said about the planned suspension.
Adani Group and the Andhra Pradesh government did not immediately reply to Reuters requests for comment.
Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday that Andhra Pradesh was exploring the possibility of cancelling a power supply contract linked to Adani Group.
Andhra Pradesh's previous ruling party - YSR Congress Party - under whose administration the alleged misconduct took place, last week denied any wrongdoing.
Reporting by Sarita Chaganti Singh Aftab Ahmed. Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter
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