FOI disclosures obtained by Culture Unstained relating to Science Museum’s response to Adani indictment

FOI/2024/0071

In this FOI request dated 27 November 2024, we requested:

Contracts and/or memorandums detailing the financial contribution from the Adani Group and any of its associated companies including Adani Green Energy towards the Energy Revolution Gallery and/or the Science Museum Group.

The documents received include:

The Science Museum also confirmed there are no other funders of the Energy Revolution Gallery.

Under the same FOI request, we also requested:

Any correspondence between members of the Partnership panel and/or ethics committee and/curation team regarding the inclusion of Rajasthan Solar Park in the Gallery.

The Science Museum supplied:

  • Curatorial emails relating to the inclusion of the Rajasthan Solar Park in the Gallery

In responding to FOI/2024/0071, the Science Museum withheld information under s.40 (personal information) and s.43 (prejudice to commercial interests), including the start and end dates of the supplied contracts.

FOI/2024/0072

In this FOI request dated 27 November 2024, we asked:

Had the Science Museum Group (SMG) been informed by the Adani Group, its companies or any of its representatives, that Adani and a number of its executives were under investigation for alleged bribery and fraud by prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York, prior to charges and arrest warrants arising from that investigation being reported on 20th November 2024 in the media?

To which the Science Museum responded with one word only – “No”.

We also asked:

Has the Science Museum Group corresponded with the Adani Group, its companies or representatives about the investigation and charges either (a) in advance or in clear anticipation of the charges being brought by US prosecutors being publicly reported in the media on the 20th November 2024; and/or (b) subsequent to the charges and arrest warrants being made public?

The Science Museum confirmed that it has not corresponded with the Adani Group, its companies or representatives about the charges beyond receiving links to related news stories from one of the Group’s representatives, which it supplied (with some withheld information under s.40 personal information):

FOI/2024/0080

In this FOI request dated 10 December 2024, we asked:

Please would you send all correspondence involving Science Museum Group executive staff, trustees and advisors since 20.11.24 (inclusive) to date, with reference to the 20.11.24 indictment of members of the Adani Group: Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani et al by U.S authorities.

The Science Museum supplied:

The Science Museum withheld some information under exemption s.40 (personal data), s.36(2)(c) (information which if released, would be likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs), and s.43(2) (Information which if released, would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Science Museum Group).