Adani Group stocks jump up to 3% after US judge drops criminal case against Gautam Adani. What investors should know

Shares of Adani Group companies such as Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, Adani Green, Adani Energy Solutions among others rose up to 3% on Tuesday after a US judge dismissed criminal charges against billionaire Gautam Adani.

The flagship Adani firm Adani Enterprises rose 3% to Rs 3,080, while Adani Power stock gained 2% to Rs 214 per share. Adani Ports gained over a percent to Rs 1,704 while Adani Green stock price jumped over 3% to Rs 1,416 per share. Adani Energy Solutions and Adani Total gas gained up to 3%.

Brooklyn-based US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis approved federal prosecutors' request to dismiss the case after examining why they wanted to drop the charges. His review included whether Adani's November 2024 pledge to invest $10 billion in the United States had any bearing on the decision.


The judge said he was satisfied that the investment pledge did not influence the Justice Department's decision. However, Garaufis criticised Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter for working with Adani's defence lawyers on the decision without seeking the views of the prosecutors and agents who had investigated the case, news agency Reuters reported.

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The Justice Department pointed to a July 4 filing in which McCotter said he decided to drop the charges after meeting Adani's defence lawyers, consulting other Justice Department lawyers and conducting his own research and analysis.

Adani welcomed the court's decision in a post on X, saying he did so "with humility and deep respect for the judicial process."

Garaufis, however, clarified that his decision to dismiss the case should not be viewed as an endorsement of the Justice Department's move or as an assessment of the merits of the charges. He also asked the department to provide more information before he decides whether charges against other defendants should be dismissed.

The Adani case
Adani was charged in 2024 with allegedly agreeing to bribe Indian government officials to help an Adani Group subsidiary secure approval to develop a solar energy plant. He was also accused of allegedly misleading US investors by providing reassuring information about the company's anti-corruption practices.

Adani Group has consistently denied wrongdoing, while Adani himself has not appeared in a US court to respond to the charges. In his July 4 filing, McCotter said the case was primarily foreign, difficult to prove and inconsistent with the Justice Department's current priorities.

Separately, in a resolution of civil charges brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Gautam Adani agreed to pay $6 million, while his nephew Sagar Adani agreed to pay $12 million.

Adani Enterprises Limited has also separately agreed to pay $275 million to the US Treasury Department to settle alleged violations of Iran sanctions.

Also Read | Gautam Adani welcomes US criminal case dismissal, says faith in rule of law ‘unwavering’

Investment pledge comes under scrutiny
McCotter rejected media reports suggesting that Adani's pledge to invest in the US was partly responsible for the decision to drop the criminal case.

In a sworn declaration filed on July 15, Adani acknowledged that he had previously pledged to invest $10 billion in the US. He said his lawyers had told the Justice Department during meetings that the investment commitment "might be part of a resolution of these matters,” the Reuters report added.

Adani's lawyer Robert Giuffra said in a July 15 court declaration that the defendants had told the Justice Department the Adani Group was "amenable" to fulfilling the investment pledge as part of a resolution of the case.

Garaufis said he was taking no position on the appropriateness of Giuffra's repeated attempts to resolve the bribery case through monetary offers.

The judge said it was for the public to determine what impact such offers could have on the equal administration of justice and the rule of law.

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