In a significant legal move, a New York court has decided to combine three ongoing cases against industrialist Gautam Adani and others into a single joint trial. The cases, which involve charges related to a $265 million bribery scheme to secure solar energy contracts, will be heard together to streamline the legal process and avoid scheduling conflicts.
The cases now grouped together include the criminal case US vs Adani and others, the civil case Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) vs Adani and others, and the civil case SEC vs Cabanes, which involves another individual implicated in the bribery scheme. The court determined that the cases were closely related due to their similar allegations and transactions.
The decision to consolidate the cases was made to promote judicial efficiency, and District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, who is already overseeing the criminal case against Adani, will now manage all three cases. Additionally, Magistrate Judge James R. Cho has been assigned to handle pre-trial procedural matters.
The charges against Adani and his associates involve allegations of paying bribes to secure contracts with state electricity distribution companies for solar energy projects. US prosecutors claim that the bribes were concealed from US banks and investors, who helped fund these projects. However, the Adani Group has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “baseless” and asserting their compliance with all laws.
This decision, made public recently, follows an order issued by the Eastern District of New York Court on December 12, 2024.
Read also