US judge dismisses criminal case against Gautam Adani

A US federal judge has dismissed the criminal case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, ending a legal saga that began with a 2024 indictment accusing him of orchestrating a massive bribery scheme tied to solar energy contracts in India. The dismissal came after the Department of Justice itself moved to drop all charges against Adani and his co-defendants, arguing that the alleged misconduct was fundamentally foreign in nature. From indictment to dismissal in 18 months The original indictment landed in December 2024, charging Adani and seven other executives from the Adani Group with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy related to a bribery scheme worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants had deceived US investors and government officials to secure contracts for a solar power project in India. Around May 18, 2026, the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss all charges. The justification: the alleged criminal conduct happened overseas, making it a poor fit for US prosecution. Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York ordered the government to provide more thorough reasoning by July 13, finding the DOJ’s initial filings insuff...