India to deliver US summons to Adani for alleged bribery

The Indian government has asked a local court to deliver a summons issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission to billionaire Gautam Adani over alleged securities fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The summons, which was issued under the Hague Service Convention that does not allow the serving of legal documents directly to defendants in India, would require Adani or his legal counsel to appear in the case in the US, Indian lawyers said.

Adani Group has denied the allegations, describing them as “baseless” and vowing to seek “all possible legal recourse.”

India’s federal ministry of law has asked a district court in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Adani’s home state, to deliver the summons to him, the letter dated February 25 shows.

“The summons seems to be for appearance in a court in New York. If service is effected through the Indian court, the respondents will have to appear,” said Arshdeep Khurana, a criminal lawyer in India.

Adani and India’s law ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Another lawyer said that the summons does not imply an extradition risk for the businessman, who oversees a sprawling conglomerate spanning airport construction to media.

“Extradition proceedings only come into the picture if the US court issues warrants of arrest,” said Malak Bhatt, founding partner at NM Law Chambers.

Reuters reported on Feb. 18 that the SEC was trying to file a complaint against Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani. They sought help from India to do so.

Reuters could not determine if the summons against Adani’s nephew had also been processed.

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said last month that he did not discuss the Adani case with US President Donald Trump during his visit to Washington.