Delhi High Court Orders Saket Gokhale to Apologize to Lakshmi Puri in Defamation Case

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has instructed Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale to publicly apologize to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri within two weeks. This decision stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by Puri, who accused Gokhale of making false allegations regarding her financial dealings. The court's order includes a substantial damages payment and highlights Gokhale's failure to comply with previous rulings. As the case progresses, further hearings are scheduled, raising questions about the implications for both parties involved.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 16, 2025, 11:56 IST

Court Ruling on Defamation Case

The Delhi High Court has mandated that Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale publicly apologize to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri within a two-week timeframe, following a defamation lawsuit she filed against him.

In a ruling from July 2024, the court determined that Gokhale had made “incorrect, false and untrue” statements about Puri, including allegations regarding her purported acquisition of property in Switzerland through disproportionate means.

Puri's lawsuit claimed that Gokhale's social media posts were “defamatory, malicious, and based on false information.”

The court's decision required Gokhale to issue an apology in a prominent English newspaper and on his X account, in addition to paying Rs 50 lakh in damages.

Following this, Gokhale attempted to have the July 2024 ruling overturned, arguing that it was made in his absence after his legal representation ceased to appear.

In the meantime, Puri sought enforcement of the court's order and initiated a contempt case against Gokhale for failing to comply.

Gokhale's attorney suggested submitting an apology in a sealed cover until the appeal against the High Court's ruling was resolved. However, Justice Anish Dayal rejected this request on May 9, insisting that Gokhale must issue a public apology within two weeks.

The High Court's ruling was made public on Thursday, with the judge noting that Gokhale had “simply tarried, lingered and procrastinated” without adhering to the court's judgment.

On May 2, the court also refused to retract its order requiring Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh.

Earlier, on April 24, the court had ordered that Gokhale's monthly salary of Rs 1.9 lakh be withheld until he complied with the order to pay the damages.

Puri, who previously served as an assistant secretary-general at the United Nations and is married to Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, filed the defamation suit in 2021, asserting that Gokhale's “reckless and false allegations” had damaged her reputation concerning an apartment in Geneva.

Gokhale had questioned Puri's ability to afford the property based on her income as a former Indian Foreign Service officer on assignment with the UN Conference on Trade and Development. He also tagged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in his posts, calling for an inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate.

The case is scheduled for further proceedings on September 15.