Key facts
- The Justice Department wants to drop securities fraud and wire fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
- Prosecutors argued the case is primarily foreign, difficult to prove, and inconsistent with current priorities.
- The alleged payments involved Indian nationals and companies, with no U.S. interests implicated.
- Adani was accused of agreeing to bribe Indian officials for a solar plant approval and misleading U.S. investors.
- The department filed a 10-page document seeking dismissal with prejudice.
The Justice Department has informed a U.S. District Court that it wishes to drop charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, who had been accused of securities fraud and wire fraud related to an alleged bribery scheme. In a 10-page filing, prosecutors argued that the case is primarily foreign, involves no U.S. interests, and has a low probability of success, making it inconsistent with the agency's current priorities.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis had previously ordered prosecutors to justify their decision to drop the case. The Justice Department contended that the indictment, unsealed in the final days of the previous administration, was a "name and shame" tactic without a realistic prospect of trial. They asserted that U.S. government attorneys should not prosecute cases involving alleged conduct by foreign nationals for foreign companies that do not affect national security.
Adani was charged in 2024 with agreeing to bribe Indian government officials to secure approval for a solar energy plant development by a subsidiary of his Adani Group, and subsequently misleading U.S. investors about his company's anti-corruption practices. Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and Adani himself has not appeared in U.S. court to face the charges. Legal experts note that judges have limited discretion to compel prosecutors to pursue cases they no longer wish to prosecute, but the charges remain officially pending until dismissed by the judge.