A US federal judge has asked the Justice Department (DOJ) to provide a detailed justification for its decision to drop criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. Brooklyn-based US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the prosecutors' notice that they would not pursue the case did not adequately explain their decision.
In his written order entered into the court record, Judge Garaufis gave the Justice Department until July 13. Garaufis stated, "The government's brief, bland, and conclusory statement does not provide the court with a sufficient basis to reach a conclusion, nor does it afford the government any opportunity to conduct any analysis regarding its motion to dismiss the case."
Adani's lawyer Robert Giuffra, citing a letter he sent to the judge, argued that the case is outside the scope of US law and that prosecutors cannot prove the alleged bribery in India, therefore it should be dismissed.
Background of the case and Trump connection
The case was dropped in May after Adani pledged $10 billion in investments to the US. Adani, currently the 17th richest person in the world according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, had been accused of agreeing to bribe government officials to win a contract to build a solar power plant in India in 2024.
The charges coincided with other allegations that the company misled US investors about its anti-corruption practices. Adani has consistently denied all allegations.
The decision to drop the case came after Adani retained Giuffra, one of US President Donald Trump's personal lawyers. James McDonald, from Giuffra's legal team, was also appointed by Trump as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. McDonald was part of the legal team that secured a favorable outcome for Adani last month. The case was originally brought by the Justice Department during Joe Biden's presidency.
Bloomberg News reported earlier this week that Adani met with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. in November while the Justice Department investigation was ongoing. The report did not share any details of what was discussed in the meeting.
