New Delhi: US authorities are reportedly moving towards ending the fraud and bribery cases against billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, in what could become a major breakthrough for the Adani Group after months of legal uncertainty in the United States.
According to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter, the US Department of Justice may announce as early as this week that it is dropping the criminal charges filed against Adani and other accused individuals. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is also said to be working toward resolving a parallel civil fraud case through a possible settlement.
If confirmed, the development would mark a significant relief for the Adani Group, whose businesses span ports, airports, mining, renewable energy, logistics and infrastructure sectors. The move could also pave the way for the conglomerate’s return to international capital markets and revive its aggressive global expansion plans.
Sources quoted in the report said the Justice Department could effectively end the criminal prosecution since the defendants are currently outside the United States. Meanwhile, the SEC’s civil proceedings may conclude through a financial settlement or monetary penalty.
Neither the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn nor the SEC officially commented on the report. Representatives of the Adani Group also did not immediately respond to media queries.
The legal controversy dates back to November 2024, when US prosecutors filed a five-count indictment alleging that Gautam Adani and others were involved in a $250 million bribery scheme linked to solar power contracts in India.
US authorities had alleged that the accused concealed the alleged bribery arrangement while raising funds from American investors. The SEC had separately accused Adani and other executives of misleading investors regarding compliance and governance practices.
The Adani Group, however, has consistently denied all allegations and maintained that it complied with all applicable laws and disclosure norms.
So far, neither Gautam Adani nor his nephew Sagar Adani has appeared before a US court in connection with the case, effectively slowing down criminal proceedings.
While the Justice Department case remained stalled, the SEC matter had begun moving forward earlier this year after Adani’s legal team filed papers seeking dismissal of the lawsuit. The defence argued that US regulators lacked jurisdiction over the Indian businessmen and claimed the alleged statements cited in the case were not legally actionable.
The reported move to close the cases comes at a crucial time for the Adani Group, which has been attempting to rebuild investor confidence after facing multiple international scrutiny episodes in recent years.
Market experts believe a resolution of the US cases could improve the conglomerate’s access to foreign capital and strengthen its standing among global investors, especially as the group continues expanding across energy, infrastructure and transport sectors.
However, as of now, there has been no official confirmation from the US Department of Justice or the SEC regarding the withdrawal or settlement of the cases.