SEC Seeks Email Summons After 14 Months of Stalled Service in Adani Case

In a major escalation of the legal battle involving the Adani Group, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has requested permission from a New York federal court to serve legal summons on Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani via email and their U.S.-based legal counsel.

This move follows over 14 months of stalled diplomatic efforts to serve the summons through official Indian channels under the Hague Convention.

A Breakdown of the Diplomatic Deadlock

In a motion filed on January 21, 2026, the SEC stated it no longer expects service to be completed through the Hague Convention. The agency cited a pattern of non-responsiveness and technical objections from India’s Ministry of Law and Justice:

• Initial Stalls: The SEC first attempted service in February 2025. In April 2025, India returned the requests, citing minor technicalities like missing seals and signatures.

• Rule-Based Objections: In December 2025, Indian authorities raised a new objection, referencing the SEC’s internal "Rule 5(b)" to suggest the summons did not fall within permitted categories.

• SEC Response: The agency dismissed these objections as "baseless," arguing they have no bearing on international service procedures.
  

The Allegations at Center Stage

The SEC’s civil complaint, originally filed in November 2024, centers on a $750 million bond offering by Adani Green Energy Ltd in September 2021.

• Bribery Claims: The SEC accuses the Adanis of orchestrating a scheme involving hundreds of millions of dollars in payments to Indian officials.

• Investor Impact: Approximately $175 million of the bond offering came from U.S. investors who were allegedly misled about the company’s anti-bribery practices.

• Criminal Parallel: U.S. prosecutors have also launched a parallel criminal case for securities fraud and wire fraud conspiracy.

Seeking "Effective Notice" Through Email

The SEC argues that the defendants are already fully aware of the proceedings, as they have retained top-tier U.S. law firms and issued public denials. The agency is now seeking to serve the following firms:

• For Gautam Adani: Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.

• For Sagar Adani: Hecker Fink LLP.

The Adani Group has consistently denied all allegations, calling them "baseless" and stating that it will pursue all available legal remedies to defend its reputation.