A US judge has dismissed criminal fraud and bribery charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani at the request of the Justice Department, but sharply criticised how the department handled the case and refused to drop charges against some co-defendants.
Brooklyn-based US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis issued the ruling on Monday after inquiring into the prosecutors' reasons for abandoning the case. He asked Adani whether anything had been promised in exchange for the charges being dropped.
The charges had been filed in November 2024 but were not unsealed at that time. The Justice Department said it had decided to abandon the case, prompting the rare bid to toss it.
Despite granting the dismissal, Judge Garaufis refused to dismiss charges against several co-defendants and voiced sharp criticism of the department's handling of the case.
Adani, one of the world's richest people, had faced accusations related to fraud and bribery. The dismissal brings an end to the federal case against him, but the legal fallout continues for the other defendants.