US Court Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Adani
A US judge has dismissed the criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani after the US Justice Department decided to abandon its fraud and bribery case against him.
The case, filed in 2024, accused Adani of agreeing to bribe Indian government officials to secure approval for a solar power project involving an Adani Group subsidiary and subsequently misleading US investors about the group’s anti-corruption practices.
Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Judge Raises Concerns Over How Case Was Dropped
While US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis granted federal prosecutors’ request to dismiss the case, he made it clear that the decision should not be interpreted as his agreement with the Justice Department’s decision or as a ruling on the merits of the original allegations.
The judge specifically criticised the way the decision to abandon the prosecution was reached.
According to Garaufis, the Justice Department’s principal associate deputy Attorney-General Trent McCotter worked with Adani’s defence lawyers in deciding to dismiss the case without input from prosecutors and agents who had investigated it.
The judge described the irregularities surrounding the decision as concerning.
Adani’s $10 Billion US Investment Promise Examined
One of the issues examined by the judge was whether Adani’s earlier promise to invest $10 billion in the United States had played any role in the decision to drop the criminal case.
Adani had made the investment pledge in November 2024.
The judge said he was satisfied that the investment promise did not influence the Justice Department’s decision to abandon the prosecution.
However, court filings revealed that Adani’s lawyers had told the Justice Department that the group was willing to follow through on the investment pledge as part of a possible resolution of the case.
Justice Department Calls Case Foreign And Difficult To Prove
McCotter said the decision to drop the charges was based on several factors.
He described the case as primarily foreign, difficult to prove and inconsistent with the Justice Department’s current priorities.
He also denied claims that the decision was influenced by Adani’s investment promise.
The judge nevertheless questioned the unusual process through which the decision was made and said it was ultimately for the public to assess what effect such offers could have on the equal administration of justice and the rule of law.
Other US Cases Still Have Financial Resolutions
The dismissal of the criminal charges does not mean all US legal matters involving the Adani Group have disappeared.
In a separate civil case brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Gautam Adani agreed to pay $6 million, while his nephew Sagar Adani agreed to pay $12 million.
Separately, Adani Enterprises Limited agreed to pay $275 million to the US Treasury Department to settle alleged violations of Iran sanctions.
These matters are separate from the criminal case that has now been dismissed.
Adani Welcomes Court Decision
Adani welcomed the dismissal, saying he accepted the US court’s decision with humility and respect for the judicial process.
The judge has also asked the Justice Department to provide additional information before deciding whether to dismiss charges against other defendants connected to the case.
The latest development therefore closes the criminal case against Adani for now, while leaving questions about the Justice Department’s unusual decision-making process and the broader legal matters involving the group.
Summary
A US judge has dismissed criminal charges against Gautam Adani after the Justice Department abandoned its fraud and bribery case against him. The judge said he was satisfied that Adani’s earlier $10 billion US investment pledge did not influence the decision but criticised the process used to drop the case. Adani denied wrongdoing and welcomed the court’s decision. Separate US legal matters involving financial settlements remain.
