Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has secured a major legal reprieve in the United States after a federal judge brought to an end a criminal case that had accused him of involvement in an alleged bribery scheme.
The decision by Brooklyn federal judge Nicholas Garaufis came after the administration of US President Donald Trump chose not to pursue the prosecution, despite the judge raising concerns about the unusual process through which the government sought to abandon the case.
Garaufis formally approved the dismissal on Monday, effectively ending the 2024 prosecution against Adani and other defendants.
At the centre of the case were allegations that Adani was involved in a plan to pay about $265 million to Indian government officials in exchange for favourable treatment in securing solar energy contracts. The allegations had threatened to deepen scrutiny of the business empire controlled by the billionaire.
Adani has denied wrongdoing.
The circumstances surrounding the government’s decision to drop the case had attracted particular attention after reports emerged that Adani’s lawyer, Robert Giuffra, had discussed a potential $10 billion investment in the US economy with Justice Department officials.
Giuffra is also a personal lawyer to Trump.
Garaufis considered whether the proposed investment had influenced the government’s decision to abandon the prosecution. The judge ultimately determined that it was not a factor in the formal decision-making process.
His approval of the dismissal, however, came with pointed criticism of the Justice Department’s handling of the matter.
The judge questioned why Trump administration official Trent McCotter had reached the decision largely in consultation with Adani’s defence team, while investigators from the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission and prosecutors involved in the original case appeared to have had little or no input.
Garaufis described the circumstances as highly unusual for a federal criminal case.
The development marks the latest turn in a legal saga that began in 2024 and placed one of India’s most powerful businessmen at the centre of an international corruption controversy.
The Adani Group has extensive interests in ports, electricity, infrastructure, cement and media, making it a major force in India’s economy.
Adani has also maintained close ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has been an outspoken supporter of Trump on social media. Both Adani and Modi come from Gujarat, the western Indian state that has played an important role in their political and business careers.
The billionaire has faced other challenges in recent years, including allegations of corporate misconduct that triggered a major sell-off in Adani Group companies. The group has rejected the allegations.
Following Monday’s ruling, Adani said he welcomed the outcome and expressed confidence in the judicial process.
He said his belief in “truth, fairness and the rule of law” had remained firm throughout the legal battle.
The dismissal removes a significant criminal case from Adani’s legal troubles in the US, while the judge’s criticism is likely to keep attention focused on how the Trump administration handled the decision to end the prosecution.
