• A US judge has declined to dismiss criminal charges against Gautam Adani, asking for justification from the DOJ.
• Judge Nicholas Garaufis criticized the DOJ’s lack of clarity in their decision to drop the case.
• Adani faces allegations of bribery and misleading US investors connected to a solar power project.

A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to explain its decision to drop criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. Judge Nicholas Garaufis stated that the DOJ’s initial announcement lacked sufficient clarity and substance, mandating a detailed explanation by July 13, 2026. This decision follows Adani's request for a formal dismissal, which was not immediately granted by the court, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and India Times.

The charges against Adani, initiated in 2024, accuse him of agreeing to bribe Indian officials to secure approvals for a solar power plant and misleading U.S. investors regarding his company's anti-corruption measures. Adani's legal team contends that the allegations are beyond the jurisdiction of U.S. law and that proving the bribery claims, which occurred in India, would be unfeasible, as detailed by Al Jazeera and India Times.

The U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn, which brought the charges, has not publicly commented on the court proceedings. However, legal analysts note that while the DOJ has discretion in its prosecutorial decisions, the charges remain pending until formally dismissed by the judge. Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and the case's backdrop involves recent corporate legal strategies following Adani's significant $10 billion investment pledge in the U.S., according to Reuters and India Times.