U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn, New York, has ordered federal prosecutors to provide more detailed justification for their decision to dismiss a criminal fraud case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The judge's brief order on June 26, 2026, signals ongoing scrutiny of the Trump Justice Department's abandonment of the high-profile case, which was originally filed in 2024 at the end of the Biden administration. Garaufis previously stated that the government's initial explanation was too "terse, bland and conclusory" and did not provide sufficient basis for the court to analyze the dismissal request. Prosecutors have been given a July 13 deadline to submit additional information.
Adani, currently the 17th richest person globally, was charged in 2024 for allegedly agreeing to bribe Indian government officials with $250 million to secure a contract to build a solar power plant, projected to generate $2 billion in profits. He was also accused of misleading U.S. investors about his company's anti-corruption practices. Adani has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His lawyers, led by Robert Giuffra, have also urged the judge to formally dismiss the case, citing that it falls outside the scope of U.S. law and that prosecutors would be unable to prove the alleged bribery in India.
The decision by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to drop the case in May raised questions, particularly after Adani pledged a $10 billion investment in the United States and hired Giuffra, who is also a personal lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, inquiring about the "transactional nature" of the decision. While the DOJ, in a letter signed by Trent McCotter, principal associate attorney general, defended its decision by stating it found the case "so indefensible" and that the investment pledge did not influence the move, the judge has not yet signed off on their request.
