'Unaware Of Anything Promised Or Received': Adani Denies Deal Behind DOJ's Dismissal Of Criminal Indictment

Business tycoon and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has denied under oath that there was any promise, agreement or deal behind the US Department of Justice's move to dismiss a criminal indictment against him, PTI reported on Wednesday. He said he was unaware of any exchange connected to the decision.

The affidavit was filed in response to a July 8 order by US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which directed Adani to state under oath by July 15 whether he was aware of any promise, offer or agreement related to the dismissal of the indictment, before the court considers the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the case with prejudice.

In the affidavit, Adani said he was not aware of "anything promised, offered, sought, received, agreed to, or accepted" by anyone in connection with the dismissal.

Adani's $10 Billion US Investment Post

Adani acknowledged in the affidavit that he had publicly posted on X in November 2024 about the Adani Group's plans to invest $10 billion and create 15,000 jobs in the US. "When I made this post, the Indictment and SEC Complaint had not yet been unsealed and made public, and I was unaware of their existence," he stated.

He also denied any knowledge of an agreement involving an exchange of anything of value in return for dropping the criminal charges.

Adani acknowledged that his legal counsel had suggested his publicly stated intent to invest $10 billion in the US could be part of a resolution of the legal charges against him. However, he said the Justice Department had made clear that promises of investment would not influence its decision to pursue charges, a position also consistent with statements made by principal associate deputy attorney general Trent McCotter.

According to the affidavit, Adani's legal counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, had met officials from the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), submitting a white paper, expert reports and other materials. The counsel had indicated that the proposed investment could potentially form part of a resolution if US authorities chose to consider it. Adani said the Justice Department later informed his lawyers that the investment plan would not be taken into account in the decision on dismissal.

Background Of The Case

In 2024, the Justice Department had filed an indictment against Adani, alleging that the group was involved in bribing Indian officials to obtain solar power contracts and had engaged in securities fraud by misleading investors about its anti-corruption and anti-bribery efforts. The case, filed under the Biden administration, accused Adani and seven others of participating in a scheme to pay about $250 million in bribes to Indian officials to secure power supply contracts.

Adani has denied all allegations.

In June, the Justice Department announced it would decline further legal action against Adani and his associates, a decision that sparked controversy after media reports suggested the group's US investment offer had played a role in the outcome.

In May, the SEC had announced a settlement of its civil lawsuit against Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, subject to court approval, with the two agreeing to pay a combined $18 million in penalties.

On June 26, Judge Garaufis had directed the Justice Department to explain its reasons for seeking dismissal, calling the department's motion "terse, bland and conclusory." While the department defended its decision, citing limited evidence of corruption found by Indian authorities and the largely foreign jurisdiction of the case, Garaufis directed Adani to submit a sworn affidavit affirming he was not aware of any quid pro quo.

Adani's lawyer Robert Giuffra, who has represented US President Donald Trump in the past, also submitted a declaration citing a May 2026 email from Justice Department officials rejecting any investment offer as a factor in the decision on charges. The email, addressed to lawyers representing Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet S Jaain, stated that the proposal to resolve criminal charges partly through a $10 billion US investment was "categorically rejected."

The Justice Department has sought dismissal of the criminal proceedings with prejudice, which would permanently close the case.