The Indian Ministry of Law and Justice has formally requested a Gujarat court to serve legal documents to Gautam Adani concerning a bribery case under investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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The US SEC has levied bribery charges worth billions of dollars against Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani. The SEC's claims centre on the payment of bribes to Indian government officials in order to negotiate overpriced energy contracts.

According to reports, the SEC has accused Azure Power CEO Cyril Cabanes of his alleged involvement in the fraud.

According to an official communication dated February 25 2025, the Department of Legal Affairs (Judicial Section) received a formal request from US authorities.

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The documents are to be served on Gautam Adani at his residence: Shantivan Farm, Behind Karnavati Club, Gandhinagar Sarkhej Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat—380057.

The Ministry has forwarded two documents to the District Judge at the District & Sessions Court in Ahmedabad. The court has been asked to serve one set to the named individual and to return the second set, along with proof of service, to the Judicial Section in New Delhi.

The letter from the Law Ministry states, "The Court addressed above is requested to serve one set of the Request and the documents of the case on the aforesaid party(s) and to send a report on the proof of service... as soon as possible so that the same could be transmitted to the foreign authority concerned."

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It adds that the service report must be in English, and if any part of it is in a regional language, an English translation must be attached. The Ministry also asked that if the respondent's address falls outside the court's jurisdiction, the documents should be sent to the appropriate court without being returned to Delhi.

In response to WION's request for comments, the US SEC directed to its press release on November 20, 2024, and declined to comment further on the case or details.

The press release is titled "SEC Charges Three Senior Executives in Two Actions Alleging Massive Bribery Scheme Involving Indian Energy Companies Adani Green and Azure Power."

Previously, the Adani group denied any wrongdoing and said they would take full legal recourse to address these allegations.

The United States government's Central Authority requested the summons in February, and it was given in accordance with the Hague Convention.

In an internal memo dated February 25, the Gujarat sessions court was reportedly ordered to take the appropriate measures by the Law Ministry.

According to Zee network's sources, the Ahmedabad court will soon serve Gautam Adani with a notice.

The court has already started the notification process.

"A report on the proof of service (along with the second set of the case)" is requested to be delivered to the department in New Delhi, as stated in the letter, which also includes supporting papers and two sets of the request.

The response to the appropriate foreign authorities will be given once the court receives it.

The department has asked for an English proof of service report because of the potential need to communicate with foreign authorities.

The letter states, "Since the matter requires correspondence with foreign authorities, it is earnestly requested that the report on the proof of service be in English. Further, in this case, the bailiff/process server's report is in the regional language, it is requested that an English translation of the report be attached thereto."

The response to the legal documents served is expected within 30 to 60 days.

The US market regulator has accused Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and others of being involved in a bribery conspiracy; the matter is currently being heard in an American district court.

The Adani Group and Gautam Adani have both denied any wrongdoing.

Adani and others face charges under a statute that was temporarily halted on February 10 by an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump.

According to the White House, the now-paused foreign bribery law is considered "over expansive and unpredictable" and is "actively harming American economic competitiveness and, therefore, national security."

The US regulator accused Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani of paying $265 million in bribes to gain lucrative solar power projects.

In November, the New York Eastern District Court ordered them to reply.

They were expected to respond to the notice dated November 21 within twenty-one days from receipt of the summons (not including the day of receipt).

Details revealed by the New York court indicate that between 2020 and 2024, Adani and seven other defendants, including Sagar Adani, a director of Adani Green Energy, allegedly conspired to pay almost $265 million in bribes to officials in the Indian government.

Solar energy contracts were allegedly negotiated this way to reap $2 billion in earnings over a 20-year period.

The individuals named by the US court are Gautam S Adani, Sagar S Adani, Vneet S Jaain and Ranjit Gupta.

An Adani Group spokesperson denied the allegations against Adani Green directors made by the US Department of Justice and the SEC, calling them "baseless."

The spokesperson had said the group would pursue "all possible legal recourse."