Gautam Adani, an Indian industrialist, has been called many things: a tycoon, a fraudster, a Bollygarch and worse. His close relationship with Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has left him dogged by claims of cronyism. Admirers and critics might agree on one label, however: master escapologist. In 1998 Mr Adani survived an alleged kidnapping attempt. A decade later he escaped a terrorist attack in Mumbai when gunmen stormed a luxury hotel he was visiting for a dinner. His latest Houdini-like feat has been to quietly settle a trio of legal cases brought by America’s government that have cast a shadow over his conglomerate.
