US court dismisses case against Gautam Adani

A US court has dismissed the criminal fraud and bribery case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. Brooklyn District Judge Nicholas Garaufis approved the Justice Department's request to drop the case, which was filed in 2024 over allegations that Adani had bribed Indian officials to secure solar energy contracts and misled US investors.

While dismissing the case, Judge Garaufis strongly criticised the Justice Department's handling of the matter. He said the decision was made without consulting the prosecutors and investigators who worked on the case, and described the process as concerning . The judge also questioned whether Adani's November 2024 pledge to invest $10 billion in the US had influenced the decision, though he ultimately concluded it had not.

Adani welcomed the court's decision. In a statement on X, he said he accepted the ruling with "humility and deep respect for the judicial process" and expressed gratitude to those who continued to have faith in him and the legal system .

The criminal case has been dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled . The judge noted that his decision should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the Justice Department's handling of the case .

While the criminal case is over, Adani and his companies have settled other US proceedings. Gautam Adani agreed to pay $6 million and his nephew Sagar Adani $12 million to settle civil charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission . Separately, Adani Enterprises agreed to pay $275 million to the US Treasury Department to settle alleged violations of Iran sanctions.