US judge dismisses criminal case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani

On Monday, a US judge dismissed criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani after the Justice Department decided to abandon the fraud and bribery case. Before approving the rare request to drop the case, US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis inquired about the prosecutors' motivation for doing so and whether any promises had been made in exchange for the dismissal.

The charges alleged that Adani and seven others promised to pay over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts worth $2 billion over 20 years, while concealing the plan as they sought US investor funds. Adani had promised $10 billion in US investments before the charges were unsealed.

However, the Justice Department announced it would no longer pursue the case on May 18. Legal experts noted that US judges have limited ability to compel prosecutors to continue with flawed cases, but formal dismissal requires judicial approval. Garaufis sought justification for the decision, finding the prosecutors' announcement "blan and conclusory."

The government cited the case's foreign nature and difficulty in proving it, and said it no longer aligned with current priorities. Treasury Department reached a $275 million settlement with Adani Enterprises over potential Iran sanctions breaches in May.