US judge dismisses charges against Adani in bribery case
What's the story
A United States judge dismissed criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani on Monday. The decision was taken by Brooklyn-based US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis after an inquiry into the Justice Department's reasons for dropping the case. The case involved allegations of fraud and bribery against Adani, who is the chairman of the Adani Group.
Case dismissal
Judge's criticism of prosecution's handling of the case
The judge's decision to dismiss the charges came after he questioned why prosecutors wanted to drop them.
He was particularly concerned about Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter working with Adani's defense lawyers without consulting those who investigated the case.
"The irregularities in the decision to dismiss the indictment are concerning," Garaufis wrote, criticizing McCotter for replacing "professional opinions from various federal offices and replaced them with his singular judgment."
Public reaction
'Welcome US court's decision with humility': Adani
Responding to the court's decision, Gautam Adani said on X, "I welcome the US Court's decision with humility and deep respect for the judicial process."
However, the judge added that his dismissal of the case shouldn't be seen as an agreement with the Justice Department's decision or an opinion on the merits of the case.
Twitter Post
Gautam Adani's reaction to dismissal of criminal charges
I welcome the US court’s decision with humility and deep respect for the judicial process.
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) August 10, 2026
Throughout this challenging period, our faith in truth, fairness and the rule of law remained unwavering.
My deepest gratitude to those who never lost faith in us, in the system and in…
Case background
Adani charged in 2024 with bribery, fraud
In 2024, Adani was charged with allegedly bribing Indian government officials to get approval for a solar energy plant and misleading US investors about his company's anti-corruption practices.
The Adani Group has denied any wrongdoing.
The charges were dismissed after McCotter said he decided to drop them after consulting with defense lawyers and conducting his own research.
Settlement details
Other settlements reached by Adani
Separately, Gautam Adani settled civil charges with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by agreeing to pay $6 million. His nephew Sagar Adani also agreed to pay $12 million in a separate settlement.
Additionally, Adani Enterprises Limited has agreed to pay $275 million to the US Treasury Department for alleged violations of Iran sanctions.