Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has defended Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch amid allegations of conflict of interest from the Congress party. Sitharaman stated that Buch and her husband, Dhaval Buch, have presented facts that counter these allegations, which include claims of trading securities worth Rs 36.9 crore during her tenure at Sebi. Both Buchs denied the accusations, labeling them as false and malicious, and asserted that all necessary disclosures were made in compliance with Sebi's guidelines. Sitharaman, while not judging the adequacy of their responses, emphasized the importance of considering the facts. The controversy has gained traction following a report by Hindenburg Research questioning Buch’s motivations regarding investigations into the Adani Group. Sitharaman remains optimistic about economic growth, attributing earlier GDP slumps to delays in public expenditure due to elections.