The Union law ministry has asked a district court in Ahmedabad to deliver a summons issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission to billionaire Gautam Adani over alleged securities fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, according to a letter dated Feb 25, seen by Reuters.
The summons, issued under Hague Service Convention that does not allow the serving of legal documents directly to defendants in India, would require Adani or his legal counsel to appear in the case in the US, said Indian lawyers.
Adani and the law ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Adani Group has, in the past, termed the allegations ‘baseless’ and vowed to seek all possible legal recourse’. The summons does not imply an extradition risk for the businessman, according to a lawyer. “Extradition proceedings only come in to the picture if the US court issues warrants of arrest,” said Malak Bhatt, founding partner at NM Law Chambers.
However, Arshdeep Khurana, a criminal lawyer in India, said, “The summons seems to be for appearance in a court in New York. If service is effected through the Indian court, the respondents will have to appear.”
