U.S. prosecutors are reportedly scrutinizing companies linked to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani over allegations of illicit activities. The core of this new investigation, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, June 02, 2025, centers on whether these Adani-linked entities illegally imported Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) into India. Such imports, if confirmed, could constitute a significant violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran. The alleged illegal importation route involved the Mundra port, located in Gujarat, India.

The U.S. Justice Department is understood to be actively reviewing the movements and operations of several LPG tankers. These specific tankers are believed to have been instrumental in supplying LPG cargoes to Adani Enterprises, a key company within the Adani Group. Further fueling these concerns, a separate investigation conducted by the Wall Street Journal found that tankers operating between Mundra in Gujarat and the Persian Gulf displayed traits and behaviors that experts identify as common tactics used by ships attempting to evade international sanctions.

In response to these serious allegations, the Adani Group has issued strong denials. A company spokesman communicated to the Wall Street Journal that "Adani categorically denies any deliberate engagement in sanctions evasion or trade involving Iranian-origin LPG." The spokesman further added, "Further, we are not aware of any investigation by U.S. authorities on this subject." The Adani Group also characterized reports of it being under investigation by U.S. authorities over links with Iranian LPG as "baseless and mischievous." At the time of the report, Reuters indicated that they were unable to immediately confirm the WSJ report and that Gautam Adani, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn had not promptly responded to their requests for comment.

The backdrop for these potential sanctions violations is the stringent U.S. policy concerning Iran. The article references a statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump in May, wherein he mandated a complete halt to all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products. His directive explicitly warned that any country or individual continuing such trade would be immediately subjected to secondary U.S. sanctions.

This fresh inquiry into the Adani Group's operations emerges several months after U.S. authorities took action on a separate matter. In that previous instance, Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, were indicted on charges alleging they paid bribes to secure power supply contracts. They were also accused of misleading U.S. investors during fund-raising efforts conducted in the United States. The Adani Group has consistently refuted these earlier accusations, labeling them as "baseless," and has affirmed its intention to "seek all possible legal recourse" to defend its position.