US judge permanently dismisses Adani bribery case

The Story in Brief

A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal securities-fraud case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, ending nearly two years of prosecution without a trial. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis dismissed counts two, three and four of the indictment, covering securities-fraud conspiracy, wire-fraud conspiracy and securities fraud, with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled. The judge accepted the Justice Department's argument that alleged statements about Adani Green's anti-bribery policies were 'inactionable puffery'.

The indictment, unsealed in November 2024, had alleged Adani executives paid roughly $265 million in bribes to Indian officials for solar contracts. The Justice Department moved to dismiss after a review, citing jurisdictional hurdles and that Indian authorities had examined the matter. Gautam Adani said 'truth has prevailed' and reaffirmed the group's commitment to nation-building. The judge, however, criticised the internal DOJ process as 'highly unusual' and noted the decision was made largely with defence counsel and without input from investigating agencies.