A federal judge is refusing to let the Justice Department quietly dismiss a major foreign bribery case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the DOJ to provide a detailed explanation for its motion to drop the charges. The judge criticized the government's initial filing as "terse, bland and conclusory."
The case, unsealed in November 2024, charged Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and other executives with conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Prosecutors alleged over $250 million was paid as bribes to Indian officials to secure solar energy project approvals.
The DOJ's move to dismiss the case came under the Trump administration after reported civil settlements and discussions about Adani's potential $10 billion in US investments. Prosecutors cited a "reassessment of resources."
Judge Garaufis, sitting in the Eastern District of New York, has given the DOJ until July 13, 2026, to submit a formal justification. If the explanation is unsatisfactory, the court could refuse the dismissal, leaving the serious charges in place.