US Federal Judge Permanently Dismisses Criminal Case Against Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani

A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal case against Indian billionaire and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, ending a high-profile prosecution over alleged bribery and fraud.

US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the federal court in Brooklyn approved the Department of Justice’s request to dismiss the case. The decision brings the criminal proceedings against Adani and his co-defendants to an end and prevents the same charges from being brought again.

The case was filed in late 2024 during the Biden administration. US prosecutors had accused Adani and other executives of participating in a scheme to pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian officials to secure contracts for solar-power projects. Prosecutors also alleged that investors in the United States were misled about the company’s anti-corruption practices.

Adani Group has consistently denied the allegations, describing the charges as baseless.

The Trump administration’s Justice Department moved to abandon the prosecution in May 2026, arguing that the alleged conduct largely took place outside the United States, that the case would be difficult to prove and that continuing the prosecution would require significant government resources.

Judge Garaufis initially questioned the government’s decision and sought additional explanations before agreeing to dismiss the case. The judge also examined whether a proposed $10 billion investment by Adani in the United States had any connection to the decision to drop the charges.

In a sworn statement, Adani said he was not aware of any agreement under which the criminal case would be dismissed in exchange for investment. He acknowledged, however, that his lawyers had presented the proposed US investment as a possible resolution during discussions with American officials.

The Justice Department has maintained that the investment proposal was not the basis for its decision to abandon the prosecution.

Separately, Adani Group has reached settlements with US regulatory authorities in related civil matters. Those settlements involved financial payments but did not include an admission of criminal wrongdoing.

The dismissal removes the immediate threat of criminal prosecution in the United States against Adani over the allegations. The case had attracted considerable international attention because of Adani’s position as one of India’s most prominent business figures and the potential implications for US-India economic and investment ties.