The New York court ordered a joint trial in the criminal and civil cases against Adani to simplify the legal process

The New York court consolidated three ongoing cases involving Adani and others, ordering them to be heard together in a joint trial.

The court’s decision is based on the fact that these cases arise from similar allegations and transactions, with the aim of enhancing judicial efficiency and avoiding conflicting timelines.

Cases include:

• United States v. Adani et al – The criminal case against Adani.
• SEC v. Adani et al – Civil lawsuit related to securities violations.
• Securities and Exchange Commission v. Cabins – A civil case involving other individuals accused in this matter.

The three cases will now be transferred to District Judge Nicholas J. Garaufis, who is overseeing the criminal case against Adani. Court staff have been instructed to implement the reassignment of these cases.

Billionaire Gautam Adani and several others, who are accused by US authorities of paying $250 million in bribes to secure solar contracts, could seek to resolve the charges through settlements while they pursue appeals. The SEC also brought parallel civil charges, exacerbating the group’s legal problems.

The charges center on misleading US investors and institutions to secure billions in financing, resulting in a five-count criminal indictment under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

The Adani Group has denied the allegations, saying: “We are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws.” A court spokesman confirmed that the indictment is based on allegations, and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty. The group committed to exploring all legal options to defend itself.

The case represents another major blow to Adani, who faced charges from Hindenburg Research in January 2023 of stock manipulation and abuse of tax havens. This report wiped out $150 billion from the market value of the Adani Group. The group denied all allegations by the American short seller.