New York : A US federal court has raised serious questions over the decision to drop criminal proceedings related to Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, directing prosecutors to provide a detailed explanation for their move.
US District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot withdraw such a serious case without offering a clear and substantial justification. The court observed that the government’s explanation for ending the prosecution was “too brief and vague,” making it difficult for the court to assess whether the decision was in the public interest.
The case, filed in 2024, had alleged that Adani and others were involved in bribery-related transactions to secure solar energy contracts in India and had allegedly misled US investors. The Adani Group has consistently denied all allegations, calling them baseless.
Last month, the US Department of Justice informed the court that it no longer intended to pursue the prosecution. Following this, Adani’s legal team had moved to formally dismiss the case.
However, the court declined to immediately close the matter and instead asked the prosecution to explain in detail why the case was being withdrawn and on what public interest grounds the decision was made. The judge has given the DOJ until July 13 to file its detailed response.
The ruling comes amid continued global attention on the case, indicating that the matter is not yet fully closed and will remain under judicial review until further hearings.