Congress Member of Parliament and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of compromising India’s interests after reports suggested that the US Justice Department may drop charges against industrialist and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani. Gandhi revived his “compromised PM” charge and said the government had effectively bargained for Adani’s relief rather than securing a fair trade arrangement with the United States.
‘Compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani’s release’
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “The compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani’s release.” His remarks came after a New York Times report claimed that US authorities were contemplating dropping the corruption-related case against Adani, prompting a fresh political storm in India.
Compromised PM ने trade deal नहीं, अडानी की रिहाई का सौदा किया।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 15, 2026
‘Now clear why PM agreed to the hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal,’ says Jairam Ramesh
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also stepped up criticism of the Prime Minister, alleging that Modi was acting under pressure from President Donald Trump rather than in India’s national interest. Ramesh said, “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. And it is also clear why he abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10 2025, acting on President Trump’s threats rather than on our national interest. Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani. How much more compromised can the PM get?”
अब यह स्पष्ट हो गया है कि प्रधानमंत्री ने भारत-अमेरिका के बीच उस बेहद निराशाजनक और एकतरफा ट्रेड ‘डील’ को क्यों स्वीकार किया, जो वास्तव में अमेरिका के पक्ष में एकतरफा सौदा था। यह भी साफ हो गया है कि उन्होंने 10 मई 2025 को राष्ट्रपति ट्रंप की धमकियों के आगे झुकते हुए, राष्ट्रीय हित…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 15, 2026
The Congress line has been that the government is treating foreign policy and trade as part of a broader political bargain. By linking the trade framework, Operation Sindoor and the Adani case, the party is seeking to present the issue as one of accountability, transparency and national interest rather than a legal dispute involving a business group.
What did the NYT report say?
The controversy follows the New York Times report, which said the US Justice Department was planning to drop charges against Gautam Adani after he hired a new legal team led by Robert J Giuffra Jr. of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. The report noted that Giuffra is also among President Donald Trump’s personal lawyers, adding another political layer to the development. It further said Giuffra met officials at the Justice Department headquarters in Washington last month and argued that prosecutors lacked evidence and jurisdiction to pursue the matter.
According to the report, the legal team also suggested that Adani could be willing to invest USD 10 billion in the American economy and create 15,000 jobs if the charges were dropped. The report said prosecutors rejected the idea that such an investment would affect the case, though one Justice Department official reportedly responded favourably to the proposal. Those claims have now become the centre of a heated political exchange in India.
What is the case against Adani?
The case against Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani stems from allegations raised earlier by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused them and others of orchestrating a bribery scheme worth more than USD 250 million between 2020 and 2024 to secure solar energy contracts in India. The matter has drawn close attention because of its possible implications for both corporate governance and India-US business ties.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the US Securities and Exchange Commission settled a civil lawsuit against Gautam Adani, subject to court approval. Court records indicate that Gautam Adani agreed to pay civil penalties of USD 6 million, while Sagar Adani agreed to pay USD 12 million. The proposed settlement does not include an admission of guilt, according to reports. Together, these developments have sharpened the political and legal scrutiny around Adani, with the opposition now using the case to intensify pressure on the Modi government.
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