Core Viewpoint - The Supreme Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an investigation into allegations made by Viceroy Research LLC against Vedanta group firms, questioning the motives of foreign entities in Indian affairs [1][9]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - The PIL was filed by lawyer Shakti Bhatia but was withdrawn after senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan indicated the intention to withdraw [1][9]. - The bench expressed skepticism about the credibility of foreign short-sellers and their influence on the Indian stock market, highlighting a systematic pattern of external agencies creating reports to destabilize local companies [1][7]. - Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the petition lacked maintainability and emphasized that the highest court should not be misused for frivolous claims [7][9]. Group 2: Allegations and Investigations - Viceroy Research LLC, a US-based investigative financial research group, made allegations of financial irregularities against Vedanta Resources Limited and Hindustan Zinc Limited [8][9]. - Sankaranarayanan clarified that he does not endorse the allegations made by Viceroy but supports an investigation by SEBI and RBI to address any irregularities [2][5]. - The bench noted that the petition did not seek sweeping reliefs, contrasting it with the Adani-Hindenburg case where an expert panel was constituted [6][9].
SC dismisses PIL for probe into Viceroy's allegations against Vedanta Group firms