Delhi High Court Orders Removal of Defamatory Content Linked to Union Minister's Daughter

The Delhi High Court has ordered the removal of social media posts linking Hardeep Singh Puri's daughter to Jeffrey Epstein, emphasizing the potential for irreparable harm. The court's decision comes after a lawsuit filed by Himayani Puri, who claims the allegations are false and malicious. The ruling includes a directive for social media platforms to block access to the defamatory content. As the case progresses, the court has scheduled further hearings and is considering the implications of global content blocking. This situation highlights the ongoing challenges of managing defamatory content in the digital age.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 17, 2026, 13:24 IST

Court Directives on Defamatory Social Media Posts

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Delhi High Court has mandated the removal of social media posts associating Hardeep Singh Puri's daughter with the late convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with a deadline of 24 hours for compliance.

Justice Mini Pushkarna issued a restraining order against several users, prohibiting them from publishing or sharing such content on any social media platform.

During the proceedings of a lawsuit initiated by Himayani Puri, the court noted that if the posts are not removed by users, the respective platforms must take action to block or eliminate access to this content.

The court recognized that Himayani Puri has a strong case and could face irreparable harm if immediate relief is not provided.

"Thus, until the next hearing, the following orders are given," the court stated, scheduling the next hearing for August.

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the plaintiff, emphasized her need to safeguard her "global reputation" as a finance professional, asserting that the allegations are "entirely false, reckless, and malicious."

Describing the claims as a "figment of imagination," Jethmalani argued that there is a deliberate attack on the plaintiff stemming from "personal and political malice."

He pointed out that the defamatory material was circulated by individuals identifying themselves as "journalists" or content creators.

Jethmalani also informed the court that the plaintiff resides in New York and requested a global order to block the defamatory content.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing Meta Platforms, argued that such orders are unprecedented globally and that content blocking typically occurs on a country-by-country basis.

He mentioned that the issue of global blocking is currently under review by a division bench of the high court.

The court limited the take-down order to India for now and issued summons to the users and social media platforms, requiring them to respond to both the main lawsuit and the interim relief application.

For content posted outside India, the platforms are instructed to restrict access within the country, as clarified by the court.

A lawyer for one of the defendants argued that his video was an exercise of "journalistic freedom" and should be protected.

The court acknowledged that the case warrants further examination and requested the defendants to submit their responses.

In her lawsuit, Himayani Puri is seeking ₹10 crore in damages and an injunction against several parties from spreading defamatory content, claiming a "coordinated and malicious online campaign" to associate her with Epstein and his offenses.

She has also requested an unconditional apology and retraction from the defendants.

"Starting around 22.02.2026, numerous false, misleading, and defamatory posts, articles, videos, and digital materials were published and circulated across various social media and intermediary platforms, including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other digital news outlets," her plea states.

The Epstein files consist of extensive documents related to two criminal investigations into sex trafficking involving Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, including travel logs, recordings, and emails, which have remained a topic of discussion since Epstein's death in custody in 2019.