New Delhi: A U.S. court in New York has issued an arrest warrant against Gautam Adani, the founder of the Adani Group, and his nephew Sagar Adani, along with other senior officials of Adani Green Energy, over allegations of bribing Indian government officials with $265 million (approximately ₹2,240 crore) to secure solar power purchase agreements.

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a charge sheet against eight individuals, including Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani, accusing them of providing bribes to officials in states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to secure deals for Adani Green Energy. The bribes were allegedly given between mid-2021 and the end of the year.

The charge sheet claims that Adani Green Energy misled U.S. investors and international financial institutions by making false assurances that the company adhered to anti-bribery laws. It further accuses Adani Green of concealing bribes from investors and raising hundreds of millions of dollars under false pretenses.

Additionally, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a separate complaint accusing the Adani Group of fraudulent practices and raising $175 million (approximately ₹1,450 crore) from investors based on misleading statements.

Other companies, such as Mauritius-based Azhar Power Global Ltd., are also implicated in related bribery and corruption charges. This company is accused of orchestrating bribes and violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act while operating under Canadian pension funds.

The case highlights allegations of large-scale corruption involving senior officials and multiple state governments, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh, while Jammu and Kashmir were under BJP-led central administration. If proven guilty, the accused could face criminal penalties, financial fines, and restrictions on serving as directors or officers in companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges.