A U.S. judge has ordered the dismissal of bribery and fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice, but noted that the dismissal process was highly "irregular".
Foreign news agencies reported on 11 Sep 2026 GMT+7 that a U.S. federal judge dismissed criminal bribery and fraud charges against Gautam Adani, a powerful Indian billionaire, who had been accused since 2024 of securing renewable energy project stakes through bribes to Indian officials and misleading American investors—charges Adani has consistently denied.
District Judge Nicholas Garaufis approved the U.S. Department of Justice's motion to dismiss the case "with prejudice," barring the case from being refiled.
Although approving the dismissal, Judge Garaufis strongly criticized the process as "highly irregular," stating that R. Trent McCotter, a senior DOJ official, made a deal with Adani's legal team that bypassed the prosecutors and investigators directly handling the case.
The Department of Justice justified the dismissal by explaining that most alleged misconduct occurred outside the U.S., making prosecution difficult and no longer aligning with the department's urgent priorities.
The dismissal followed Adani hiring a new legal team led by Robert J. Jiffra Jr., Donald Trump's personal attorney.
The judge noted Adani's November 2024 GMT+7 pledge to invest $10 billion in the U.S. and create 15,000 jobs. Although Adani's lawyers insisted the investment was not linked to the dismissal, and the judge found no evidence of a connection, he remarked that the public could interpret how such discussions might impact justice.
Adani expressed his approval of the ruling via X, stating he accepted the decision humbly and has always upheld integrity, fairness, and the rule of law.
Regarding related cases, in May, Adani agreed to pay $6 million and his nephew Saket Adani $12 million to settle charges with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concerning the disclosure of material information to investors and the public, without admitting or denying the allegations.
Meanwhile, Adani Enterprises agreed to pay $275 million to settle U.S. civil liability claims over violations of Iran sanctions.
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Source:bbc