A US federal court has dismissed the bribery and fraud case against Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, bringing an end to a nearly two-year legal battle. However, the judge raised concerns about the US Justice Department’s decision to seek dismissal of the case.
The decision was announced on Monday by US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn. Federal prosecutors had requested that the charges against Adani be dropped, a move that had become public in May. Although the judge approved the dismissal, he questioned the circumstances surrounding the Justice Department’s decision and described the matter as concerning.
The judge also considered whether Adani’s reported commitment in November 2024 to invest $10 billion in the United States had influenced the decision. Garaufis said he did not believe the investment had played a role, while noting that a judge’s authority to review prosecutorial decisions is limited.
The case stemmed from allegations that Adani Green Energy Limited had paid approximately $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure lucrative solar power contracts in several states, including Andhra Pradesh. US authorities had filed criminal and civil charges in 2024, with the Securities and Exchange Commission also pursuing related allegations. The Adani Group has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Gautam Adani welcomed the court’s decision, saying his group had maintained faith in integrity, transparency and the rule of law during the crisis.
The dismissal comes amid a broader pattern of the Trump administration’s Justice Department seeking to end several high-profile cases involving prominent defendants.
