A US federal judge on Monday dismissed criminal charges brought against Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, ending nearly two years of litigation in a case that alleged bribery and fraud by a unit of the Adani Group.
Judge raises concerns over Justice Department decision-making
Brooklyn-based U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis granted the rare request from federal prosecutors to drop the charges, but expressed concern about the role of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter in the decision to dismiss. In his written remarks, the judge described McCotter’s conduct as “highly unusual” for collaborating with defence counsel on the motion without apparent input from investigative agents or the prosecutors who originally brought the case.
“The fact that McCotter came to this decision largely in collaboration with defence counsel, and seemingly without input from the FBI and SEC agents who investigated the alleged misconduct, or [prosecutors] who brought the case, appears to be highly unusual,” Judge Garaufis wrote.
The dismissal follows prosecutors’ motion to toss the indictment. The judge said he had inquired into the reasoning behind prosecutors’ decision, including whether an earlier pledge by Mr Adani to invest in the United States played any role in their choice to withdraw the charges.
Allegations, defence and key statements
The 2024 indictment accused Mr Adani of agreeing to pay a $250 million bribe to Indian government officials to secure approval for a subsidiary to develop a solar energy project and of providing misleading information to US investors about the company’s anti-corruption practices. The Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing, according to filings and statements in the case.
Mr Adani did not appear in US court to answer the charges. On the social platform X, he welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a development he accepted with “humility and deep respect for the judicial process.” He added that his faith in truth, fairness and the rule of law had remained steadfast during the proceedings, and expressed gratitude to those who supported him.
Questions over November 2024 investment pledge
During the judge’s review, attention turned to a public promise Mr Adani made in November 2024 to invest $10 billion in the United States. Judge Garaufis said he was satisfied that the pledge did not influence the Justice Department’s decision to drop the charges, but nonetheless scrutinised the internal process by which the dismissal was reached.
- Charges alleged: bribery to obtain governmental approval and misleading US investors.
- Amount cited in indictment: $250 million alleged bribe.
- Investment pledge: $10 billion pledged by Mr Adani in November 2024.
Implications and next steps
The judge’s criticism of a senior Justice Department official is likely to prompt further scrutiny of the internal decision-making that led prosecutors to seek dismissal. The involvement of multiple federal agencies in the original inquiry — including the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission — was highlighted by the judge in noting that those agents and the prosecutors who brought the case appeared not to have been consulted before the final decision.
Legal analysts and observers of cross-border enforcement often treat requests to dismiss criminal indictments as uncommon, particularly in cases involving alleged transnational corruption and securities misconduct. The judge’s written observations underline the importance of transparent internal processes within the Department of Justice when electing to discontinue criminal prosecutions.
The Adani Group’s public denial of wrongdoing remains on record. With the criminal charges dismissed, attention may turn to civil inquiries or to any independent reviews recommended inside federal agencies following the judge’s remarks about the handling of the matter.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Indictment filed alleging bribery and fraud | 2024 |
| Adani’s US investment pledge | November 2024 |
| Federal judge grants prosecutors’ motion to dismiss charges | August 2026 |
The immediate legal consequence is the termination of the criminal case against Mr Adani in that US district court. Whether the judge’s critical commentary triggers internal inquiries or administrative reviews within the Justice Department will be followed closely by legal and corporate governance watchers.
Reporting on the matter noted no appearance by Mr Adani in the US proceedings; his public remarks on X welcomed the dismissal and reiterated confidence in judicial processes and in India’s capacity for justice.
