Newly unsealed court filings show that Gautam Adani's legal team mounted an extensive defence, submitting hundreds of pages of legal arguments and expert reports before the US DOJ dropped the criminal case.
The defence challenged the prosecution's jurisdiction, interpretation of US securities laws and bribery allegations, while relying on opinions from legal and regulatory experts.
The DOJ cited jurisdictional hurdles, lack of investor losses and low prospects of success at trial in seeking dismissal.
600 Pages, Top Legal Minds; Inside Adani's Fight That Ended US Criminal Charges
Newly unsealed court filings detail the legal strategy, expert opinions and jurisdictional arguments that preceded the US Justice Department's decision to dismiss criminal charges against Gautam Adani
Summary
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Newly released court documents have shed light on the legal strategy that led to the dismissal of criminal charges against billionaire Gautam Adani in the United States, revealing an intensive defence effort that challenged the government's case on multiple legal and jurisdictional grounds, PTI reported.
The filings show that Adani's lawyers submitted hundreds of pages of legal arguments and expert opinions over a period of nearly 10 weeks before the US Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to drop the prosecution.
Charges Stemmed From Solar Project Probe
The case dates back to November 2024, when US prosecutors accused Gautam Adani, Adani Green Energy executive Sagar Adani, former CEO Vneet Jaain and others of orchestrating a bribery scheme involving more than $250 million to secure solar power contracts in India.
The indictment also alleged that investors were misled while the Adani Group raised over $3 billion through bonds and loans. The conglomerate denied all allegations, describing them as unfounded.
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Defence Challenged Legal Basis
According to the court records, US law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, representing Adani, questioned whether American securities laws could be applied to the alleged conduct.
The legal team also disputed the prosecution's interpretation of investor disclosures and the evidence supporting the bribery allegations.
PTI reported that the defence filed a series of detailed legal submissions along with presentations and supporting material running into hundreds of pages.
The case was further strengthened with opinions from external experts, including a Harvard law professor, a former acting chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a former Chief Justice of India and renewable energy specialists.
DOJ Cited Multiple Factors
When seeking dismissal before the court, the DOJ cited jurisdictional concerns, the absence of investor losses, previous investigations conducted in India and limited prospects of securing a conviction at trial, according to the filings.
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The documents also state that a proposed $10 billion investment by the Adani Group in the US was not linked to the decision to withdraw the criminal case.
Separately, civil proceedings initiated by the SEC were resolved through consent judgments.
Gautam Adani agreed to pay $6 million and Sagar Adani $12 million without admitting or denying the allegations. Court records identify Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter as the official who authorised the dismissal of the criminal prosecution.