New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of entering into a trade agreement with the United States to secure the “release” of billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani.
“Compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani’s release,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, reacting to reports that the US had agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing Adani of concealing an alleged bribery scheme.
According to court filings released on Thursday, the US government has agreed to resolve the case against Adani, who was accused of misleading investors by allegedly hiding that his company’s large solar energy project in India was linked to bribery allegations.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also criticised the Centre, saying the reports explained why the Prime Minister agreed to what he described as a “hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal”.
“It is now clear why the PM agreed to the hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal that was really a steal by the US,” Ramesh said on X.
He further alleged that Modi had abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, in response to threats from US President Donald Trump rather than in India’s national interest.
“Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani. How much more compromised can the PM get?” Ramesh asked.
The lawsuit, filed in late 2024, alleged that Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, a director at Adani Green Energy Ltd, agreed to pay nearly USD 265 million in bribes to Indian government officials between 2020 and 2024 to secure profitable solar energy contracts.
According to the complaint, the contracts were expected to generate around USD 2 billion in profits over two decades.
The lawsuit also alleged that the Adani Group raised USD 2 billion through loans and bonds, including from US investors, based on misleading claims regarding the company’s anti-bribery practices and compliance policies.
The Adani Group has denied all allegations.
