Adani indictment legal matter between private firms & US govt: Centre

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the indictment of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani by US prosecutors was a “legal matter” involving private firms, individuals and the US Department of Justice and that India was not informed about the case in advance.

In the first official reaction after the industrialist was charged with alleged fraud by prosecutors in the US, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was yet to receive any communication for cooperation in the case. The Government of India is not part of the matter in any manner at this point of time, he said.

“We see this as a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. Obviously, there are established procedures and legal avenues in such cases, which we believe would be followed,” Jaiswal said. “The Government of India was not informed in advance on the issue. We have not had any conversation with the US government on it,” he added.

Jaiwal’s response at a media briefing came when he was asked whether the American side had kept India in the loop on the matter.

To another query on whether the US served summons or a warrant on the Adani case to the Indian missions in the US, Jaiswal said India had not received any such request.

“Any request by a foreign government for service of summons or arrest warrant is part of mutual legal assistance. We have not received any request on this case from the US side,” he said. The Adani Group has dismissed the charges as “baseless”.

(With inputs from PTI)