Summon to Gautam Adani regarding Fraud and Bribery

Cases of fraud and bribery against industrialist Gautam Adani are increasingly drawing attention, as the Union Law Ministry has forwarded summons issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to an Ahmedabad district court for service to Adani. The summons pertain to allegations against Adani, who is facing legal scrutiny in the US.

The summons were issued under the Hague Service Convention, a legal process that prevents direct serving of legal documents to defendants in India. Instead, the documents must be delivered through the Indian legal system. This means that if the US court proceeds with the case, Adani or his legal counsel will be required to appear in court, should a warrant be issued. The Adani Group has firmly denied all allegations, labeling them “baseless,” and has pledged to explore “all possible legal recourse” to challenge them.

The summons, which was reviewed by Ahmedabad Mirror, contains the following address for Gautam Adani: Shantivan Farm, Behind Karnavati Club, Gandhinagar Sarkhej Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat-380057, India. The documents have been verified to meet the requirements of the Hague Convention and are under consideration by the District & Sessions Court in Ahmedabad for service. The request for service came from the US’s Central Authority under the Hague Convention, which handles the serving of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil and commercial matters.

Though neither Gautam Adani nor the Union Law Ministry have responded to requests for comment, it’s important to note that receiving the summons does not indicate any immediate risk of extradition. Extradition would only become a possibility if the US court issues an arrest warrant. Previously, reports suggested that the SEC was attempting to serve legal complaints to both Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, with the assistance of the Indian authorities.

AM.