The Congress on Friday sharpened its attack on the Modi government alleging the Adani group’s link with Chinese citizen — Chang Chung-Ling alias Lingo Chang — is getting “curiouser”.
“The Modani link to China gets curiouser and curiouser,” Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in response to a clarification issued by a director in PMC Projects (India) Pvt Ltd on his nationality.
Morris Chang, the director in PMC Projects, on Thursday said he was a citizen of Taiwan.
Ramesh said Morris Chang — real name, Chang Chien-Ting, who is the son of Chinese citizen Chang Chung-Ling, aka Lingo Chang — has been accused by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence of being involved in a Rs 5,500 crore power equipment over-invoicing scam.
Morris Chang had said he was a Taiwanese national but concealed the fact that his father – also an associate of the Adani group – was a Chinese national, Ramesh said.
In a statement, Ramesh said, the party — in its Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun series — had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his "favourite business group's links with the Chinese citizen Chang Chung-Ling (aka Lingo Chang) who has been a director in several Adani Group companies along with Vinod Adani and also made an appearance in the Panama Papers".
"We had pointed out that his son owns the Ahmedabad-based PMC Projects that has built ports, terminals, rail lines, power lines and other assets for the Adani Group. PMC was also alleged by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to be involved in a Rs 5,500 crore power equipment over-invoicing scam."
Chang's son Chang Chien-Ting (aka Morris Chang) has stated that he is a Taiwanese passport holder, Ramesh said.
"He has however refused to answer other questions on which projects PMC has done for the Adani Group and his firm's role in the power equipment over-invoicing scam."
The Supreme Court had last month dismissed an appeal filed by the customs department against three Adani companies pertaining to the alleged over-valuation of imported goods.
