New Delhi– The abrupt removal of RP Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), is linked to serious irregularities involving Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Power, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Gupta, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Gujarat cadre, was dismissed with immediate effect, as stated in an official government order. Although the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has not formally disclosed the reason for his termination, sources say it stems from his alleged role in allowing Reliance Power to participate in a major tender using forged documentation.
The controversy dates back to October last year, when Reliance Power reportedly submitted bank guarantees naming the State Bank of India (SBI) as guarantor for a SECI tender. However, SBI later denied issuing the guarantees and flagged the email address used by the company as fraudulent. Despite these clear discrepancies, Reliance Power was initially permitted to participate in the bidding process, raising serious concerns over due diligence and oversight within SECI.
Following SBI’s denial, SECI was forced to cancel the tender and blacklist Reliance Power from future bids—a rare and highly public disciplinary action in the normally discreet world of energy contracting. Sources now say that Gupta’s decision to greenlight the bid, despite the red flags, was the catalyst for his removal.
Gupta had led SECI since June 2023, with his term originally scheduled to conclude in June this year. His tenure coincided with mounting criticism over SECI’s handling of renewable energy auctions, including significant project delays and a growing number of tenders that failed to attract buyers. Nearly 40 gigawatts (GW) of green energy projects issued by the four Renewable Energy Implementation Agencies (REIAs), including SECI, have reportedly remained without takers.
SECI has also come under scrutiny in recent months for its dealings with other sector heavyweights such as JSW Energy and Adani, with critics pointing to broader concerns about transparency and procedural lapses in the bidding process.
A senior MNRE official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The fake guarantee issue wasn’t just a procedural slip—it was a complete breakdown of the basic checks and balances that should exist in an agency like SECI. The government couldn’t ignore it, especially with a high-profile company like Reliance Power involved.”
Neither SECI, MNRE, nor Reliance Power responded to requests for comment as of the time of publication.
With the government pushing aggressively toward its renewable energy targets, Gupta’s removal is expected to send ripples across the sector. Industry observers say the incident has intensified calls for greater institutional accountability and more stringent oversight of public bidding processes. (Source: IANS)
