SEC Seeks to Bypass Diplomatic Channels to Serve Adani Summons Amid Stalled Indian Cooperation

As the SEC pivots to digital service to break the deadlock, the case continues to test the limits of international legal cooperation and the influence of political ties on corporate accountability.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | January 22, 2026

NEW YORK — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has moved to bypass traditional diplomatic channels in its ongoing bribery and corruption case against Indian industrialists Gautam and Sagar Adani, after nearly a year of procedural delays within the Indian government.

In a motion filed on January 21, 2026, the SEC requested permission from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to serve legal papers via email and U.S.-based legal counsel. This move effectively abandons the treaty-based route under the Hague Service Convention, which the agency has pursued unsuccessfully since February 2025.

A Year of Procedural Stalemate

The shift in strategy follows what records describe as “five failures in eight months” by India’s Ministry of Law and Justice (MOLJ) to effect service. Despite the SEC’s periodic contact with the MOLJ, the agency informed the court in December 2025 that “no concrete progress” had been made.

The timeline of the service attempt has been marked by contradictions and delays:

• February 2025: The SEC formally initiated the service process via Indian authorities.
• April 2025: The MOLJ finally acknowledged the request after initial denials.
• Late 2025: The SEC filed multiple status reports confirming the papers remained unserved, citing “hyper-technical” objections from Indian officials regarding seals and signatures.
• September 2024–January 2026: Communications were further hindered by a U.S. government shutdown and a refusal by the Adanis’ legal team to waive service voluntarily.

Allegations and Political Ties

The underlying legal action, first lodged in November 2024, accuses Gautam Adani—the founder and chairman of Adani Green Energy Ltd.—and executive director Sagar Adani of orchestrating a scheme to secure lucrative solar power contracts. The SEC further alleges the duo misled U.S. investors during a 2021 debt offering.

The Adani Group has consistently denied these charges, labeling them “baseless”. However, the persistent procedural failures have raised significant international concerns regarding potential political influence. Gautam Adani is widely identified as a “close partner” of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to suggestions that Indian authorities may be hesitant to act against the mogul. These allegations of collusion have previously sparked protests from opposition parties within the Indian Parliament.

Escalating Legal Stakes

The civil suit has now been consolidated with a parallel criminal indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ). Both cases are assigned to U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis for streamlined handling.

The SEC is pursuing severe penalties, including:

• Civil penalties and permanent injunctions.
• Officer-and-director bars, which would legally prohibit the Adanis from serving in leadership positions at any public company with U.S.-traded securities.

As the SEC pivots to digital service to break the deadlock, the case continues to test the limits of international legal cooperation and the influence of political ties on corporate accountability.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.