A federal judge is not letting the Justice Department quietly walk away from one of the most high-profile foreign bribery cases in recent memory.
US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the DOJ to explain, in detail, why it wants to drop criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and several co-defendants. The judge’s problem with the government’s initial filing? He found it “terse, bland and conclusory.”
What the DOJ tried to do, and why the judge said no
The DOJ filed a motion on May 18, 2026, to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning prosecutors wouldn’t be able to refile the charges later. The move came after reported civil settlements and amid discussions about Adani’s potential $10 billion in US investments.
Judge Garaufis, sitting in the Eastern District of New York, issued his ruling on June 26, 2026. He gave the DOJ until July 13, 2026, to come back with a real explanation.
