US Federal Judge refuses to dismiss Adani indictment
New Delhi: A US federal judge has declined to immediately dismiss the criminal indictment against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his co-defendants, directing the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to provide detailed justification for abandoning the high-profile prosecution.
According to Kashmir Media Service, US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York said in an order that the Justice Department’s request to withdraw the case lacked sufficient reasoning.
“The government’s terse, bland and conclusory statement does not provide an adequate basis for the court to approve the dismissal,” Judge Garaufis observed, asking prosecutors to submit a comprehensive justification by July 13.
The judge instructed the DoJ to explain in detail why dismissing the case would serve the public interest and provide adequate factual and legal grounds. Legal experts said federal courts have limited authority to compel prosecutors to continue a case they no longer wish to pursue, but the indictment will remain in force until the judge formally rules on the dismissal motion.
The 2024 indictment accused Adani and others of securities and wire fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to bribe Indian officials for a solar energy project while misleading US investors about anti-corruption practices. The Adani Group has consistently denied the allegations.
