Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the dismissal of criminal charges against industrialist Gautam Adani and his associates by a US court.
In a post on X, Gandhi questioned the circumstances surrounding the case and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“There is much more to this than meets the eye. A compromised PM was forced to sell India’s interests. India is paying a huge price,” Gandhi said.
His comments came after a US court ended the criminal case against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and their associate Vneet Jaain.
US court dismisses criminal charges against Adani
On Monday, Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed criminal charges against the Adanis and Jaain related to securities and wire fraud.
The court dismissed the charges with prejudice, bringing the criminal proceedings to an end.
Separately, the court finalised a settlement between the Adanis and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Under the settlement, the Adanis will pay $18 million to the US government without admitting guilt in the civil securities fraud matter.
Gautam Adani welcomes US court ruling
Gautam Adani welcomed the court’s decision and said he respected the judicial process.
He said that throughout the legal proceedings, his family and associates had maintained faith in truth, fairness and the rule of law.
Adani also expressed gratitude to those who continued to support him and said the Adani group would remain focused on its contribution to the country.
What were the allegations against Adani?
The US Justice Department had unsealed an indictment against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and associates in 2024.
Prosecutors had alleged that the group was involved in a $265 million bribery scheme linked to solar energy contracts with Indian government entities.
The allegations also included claims that the accused misled US and international investors about the company’s anti-corruption practices.
The US SEC separately brought civil charges against Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani.
However, ahead of the latest court decision, the US Department of Justice told the court in May that it would not pursue further legal action against Adani and the other defendants.
In July, US Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter also said the charges against the Adani group should not have been brought in the first place.
Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi government
Rahul Gandhi’s latest comments have added a political dimension to the US court’s decision.
The Congress leader has previously raised allegations concerning the Adani group and its relationship with the government. His latest statement focused on what he described as the possible impact of the legal development on India’s interests.
The government and the Adani group have rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
