The Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has engaged two leading US law firms, Kirkland & Ellis and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, to represent the company in a US indictment case. The firms, known for their expertise in complex legal disputes, will handle the group’s defence in court. This development comes amid growing scrutiny of the company’s international operations. The legal strategy aims to address the charges effectively and safeguard the group’s interests.
The Adani Group, led by Gautam Adani, reportedly been indicted in the U.S. on charges of alleged bribery related to securing solar energy contracts from Indian government officials. In response, the group has retained two prominent U.S. law firms, Kirkland & Ellis and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, to represent them in court.
Both firms are recognized as leading litigation practices globally and have extensive experience in high-stakes cases involving major corporations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York announced a five-count criminal indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn. The indictment names Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and Vneet Jaain, charging them with conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud, as well as substantive securities fraud.
This stems from a multi-billion-dollar scheme designed to mislead U.S. investors and global financial institutions. Lisa H. Miller, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, stated,
“This indictment alleges schemes to pay over Rs.250 million in bribes to Indian government officials, to deceive investors and banks to raise billions of dollars, and to obstruct justice.”
In a related action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has also charged Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and Cyril Cabanes for their involvement in this extensive bribery scheme. The SEC filed two complaints in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
One complaint specifically targets Gautam and Sagar Adani, while the other involves Cyril Cabanes, a former board member of Azure Power, who faces allegations of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
According to the SEC’s complaint, the Adanis are accused of orchestrating a bribery operation that involved paying or promising hundreds of millions of dollars to Indian government officials to secure commitments for purchasing energy at inflated rates, benefiting both Adani Green and Azure Power. Adani Green has, however, denied these allegations.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, based in Los Angeles, specializes in business litigation and arbitration, boasting a track record of handling over 2,300 cases with an impressive 88% success rate and securing more than Rs. 70 billion in judgments and settlements. The firm has represented major companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Uber.
Kirkland & Ellis, headquartered in Chicago and operating in 21 cities worldwide, focuses on high-profile commercial and intellectual property cases, as well as white-collar crime and government disputes. Its client roster includes well-known tech giants like Apple, Google, and Facebook.
In the meantime, Adani Green is scheduled to release its Financial third-quarter results on January 23 .
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