Global: The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has informed a federal court in New York that it is yet to complete formal service of summons on billionaire Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani in a civil securities case, as the process remains pending with India’s Ministry of Law and Justice.
In a status report submitted on December 12 to Magistrate Judge James R. Cho of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the SEC said it continues efforts to serve the defendants under the Hague Service Convention, the internationally recognised mechanism for cross-border service of legal documents.
The regulator had filed its complaint on November 20, 2024, alleging that the Adani executives violated US federal securities laws by making false and misleading representations related to Adani Green Energy Ltd in connection with a September 2021 debt offering.
Since both defendants reside in India, service is governed by Rule 4(f) of the US Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which does not prescribe a strict time limit and allows service through internationally agreed methods such as the Hague Convention. The SEC said it had sought assistance from India’s Ministry of Law and Justice under Article 5(a) of the convention, but service has not yet been effected.
The commission added that it has also directly sent notices of the lawsuit and requests for waiver of service to the defendants and their counsel, alongside copies of the complaint. According to the filing, the SEC has submitted multiple status updates to the court over the past year as it awaits completion of the formal service process through Indian authorities.
The regulator told the court that its efforts are ongoing and that it will continue to keep the judiciary informed of any progress.