Rahul Gandhi calls Modi a “compromised PM” after Adani case dismissal.
Rahul Gandhi says the Adani case dismissal suggests there is much more to the matter than meets the eye.
- Rahul Gandhi alleged a “compromised PM was forced to sell India’s interest” after a US court dismissed criminal charges against Gautam and Sagar Adani.
- US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis approved the Justice Department’s request to drop securities and wire fraud counts “with prejudice”, barring re-filing.
- The DOJ cited jurisdictional challenges, the foreign nature of the alleged conduct, lack of investor losses and misalignment with current priorities as reasons for dismissal.
- The judge emphasised that the ruling was not a verdict on the merits; no trial was held and no evidence was tested in court.
- Gautam Adani welcomed the decision with “humility” and “deep respect”, while the Adani Group maintained it had always acted within the law.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a US federal judge permanently dismissed criminal charges against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, saying there is “much In an X post on Wednesday, August 12, Gandhi shared a screenshot of a media report on the US court approving the Justice Department’s request to drop the case.
On Monday, August 10, US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York approved the Justice Department’s request to dismiss counts two, three and four of the. The counts covered securities-fraud conspiracy, wire-fraud conspiracy and securities fraud. The dismissals were “with prejudice”, meaning the charges cannot be refiled.
Why the DOJ wanted the case dropped
In May, the Justice Department asked for the charges to be dismissed after an extensive review, citing jurisdictional and evidentiary challenges, the predominantly Indian nature of the alleged conduct, scrutiny It also argued that the case, unsealed during the closing weeks of the Biden administration, had little realistic prospect of reaching trial and appeared to have been a politically motivated “name and shame” exercise.
The judge stressed that the dismissal was an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, not a verdict on the allegations. No trial was held, witnesses were examined or evidence tested in court.
Adani’s response
Gautam Adani welcomed the decision, saying he accepted it with “humility” and “deep respect” for the judicial process. The Adani Group has consistently denied the allegations, saying it acted in accordance with the applicable law. In a statement, the group called the dismissal a vindication of its position that the case was legally flawed and based on conduct that occurred largely outside the United States.
Rahul Gandhi’s political attack
Rahul Gandhi’s comments frame the dismissal not as a legal outcome but as a political bargain. By invoking a “compromised PM”, he is suggesting that the Indian government made concessions to secure the drop in charges, and that the country is paying a “huge price” in return. He did not specify what that price is, but the language implies trade-offs on policy, investment or strategic issues. The post is likely to fuel the ongoing political battle between the Congress and the BJP over corruption, corporate influence and the government’s relationship with big business.