Lawyers laud US court decision in Gautam Adani case

On Monday, US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis dismissed criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The Justice Department had decided to abandon the fraud and bribery case. Adani had promised in November 2024 to invest $10 billion in the United States prior to the charges being unsealed. In 2024, Adani was charged with agreeing to bribe Indian government officials so his Adani Group could win approval to develop a solar energy plant, and misleading US investors about his company's anti-corruption practices.

Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Adani himself did not appear in court to respond to the charges. The Justice Department announced on May 18 that it would no longer pursue the case, marking another instance where federal prosecutors sought to drop a high-profile white-collar criminal prosecution during President Donald Trump's second term.

Garaufis inquired into the Justice Department's reasons for dropping the charges and requested justification for their decision. The department's official filing stated the case was foreign, difficult to prove, and not aligned with current priorities. McCotter denied media claims that the case was dropped due to a promise from Adani to invest in the US.

Adani's lawyers confirmed in court on July 15 that the Justice Department was not considering the Adani Group's investment pledge as part of any resolution.