The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday dismissed media reports claiming that US prosecutors had issued summons for Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and other executives in connection with an alleged bribery case.
In a media briefing held in the national capital, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has not received any official request from the United States regarding summons or arrests.
“This is a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. There are established procedures and legal avenues in such cases which we believe would be followed. The Government of India was not informed in advance of the issue, and we haven’t had any conversation about this matter with the US government,” Jaiswal said.
He emphasized that any request from a foreign government for the service of a summons or arrest warrant falls under mutual legal assistance, which is examined on its merits. “We have not received any request on this case from the US side. This is a matter that pertains to private entities, and the Government of India is not legally a part of it in any manner at this point in time,” he added.
Reports of the summons emerged after a five-count criminal indictment was unsealed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which allegedly charged prominent Indian executives, including Gautam Adani, in connection with a bribery and fraud scheme.
On November 27, the Adani Group refuted the bribery allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and MD CEO of Adani Green Energy, Vineet Jaain, in a filing with the stock exchanges.
In its filing, Adani Green Energy Ltd. described the media reports on the alleged bribery and corruption charges against its executives as “Incorrect.” The statement clarified that “media articles which state that certain of our directors, namely Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and Vineet Jaain, have been charged with violation(s) of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment are incorrect.”
The filing further noted that the DOJ indictment, which includes five counts, does not mention Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, or Vineet Jaain in Count One: “Conspiracy to Violate the FCPA,” nor do their names appear in Count Five: “Conspiracy to obstruct justice.”
