A US court dismissed criminal charges against Adani Group's Gautam Adani and his nephew with prejudice, meaning they can't be refiled. US lawyer Adam Goldberg called the dismissal 'very significant,' confirming the case is now 'completely closed.'
Lawyer Calls Dismissal 'Very Significant'
The dismissal of criminal charges against Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani by a US court is "very significant" for Gautam Adani, US-based lawyer Adam Goldberg said, noting that the dismissal with prejudice means the charges cannot be refiled.
Speaking to ANI, Goldberg said, "I think the dismissal is very significant for Mr Adani. I think he's likely to be very happy with the result, as the case has been dismissed with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be refiled. So, in terms of the case, it's now over. In that sense, it's quite significant."
Goldberg said the significance of the dismissal was primarily for Adani, while expressing that he did not see the decision as having a major impact on the broader legal system. "From a broader perspective, I'm not sure that the case has a significant impact on, for example, other cases or the legal system. But for Mr Adani, I suspect it is quite a significant and happy result," he said.
Case 'Completely Closed'
On whether the case was now completely closed in the United States, Goldberg gave a clear response. "Yes, the case is now completely closed," he said.
Goldberg also said the Department of Justice cannot revive the charges following the dismissal with prejudice. "No. A dismissal with prejudice means that the Department of Justice cannot revive this case; they cannot revive the charges," he said. "But as long as a case fell within the statute of limitations, they could file new charges, but not with respect to these charges, not with respect to the conduct that was at issue here. This case is over," Goldberg said.
US Court Dismisses Charges
Meanwhile, the US federal court's dismissal of criminal charges against Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani has ended the high-profile case against them, bringing major legal relief to the group.
US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York dismissed the charges after the US Department of Justice asked the court to dismiss them with prejudice. This means the same criminal charges cannot be filed again. Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa described the order as "highly significant" for the Adani Group, particularly because the 2024 indictment had generated considerable negative publicity.
The case began with a November 2024 indictment in which US prosecutors accused Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and others of allegedly participating in a scheme to allegedly bribe Indian government officials in connection with solar power contracts. The accused denied the allegations.
DOJ's Shift in Prosecution
The US Justice Department's decision to seek dismissal marked a major shift in the prosecution. In May, the DOJ said it had reviewed the case and, exercising its prosecutorial discretion, decided not to devote further resources to the criminal charges.
The court initially sought more details from the government before deciding whether to approve the dismissal. Judge Garaufis questioned the DOJ's earlier explanation and directed it to provide additional justification.
Adani's Reaction and Separate Civil Case
Reacting to the development, Gautam Adani said in a social media post, "I welcome the US court's decision with humility and deep respect for the judicial process."
The criminal case dismissal is separate from civil proceedings involving Adani and Sagar Adani before the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The two had earlier agreed to pay civil penalties in that matter without admitting the allegations. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)