Rs 50 Lakh Damages, Public Apology: Setback For TMC MP Saket Gokhale In Defamation Suit By Ex-Bureaucrat

rs 50 lakh damages, public apology: setback for tmc mp saket gokhale in defamation suit by ex-bureaucrat lakshmi puri

The Delhi High Court has directed All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs. 50 lakhs in damages to former Indian Assistant Secretary-General to the United Nations, Lakshmi Puri, in a defamation suit filed by her. The court also mandated Gokhale to issue a public apology on his Twitter handle, where it must remain for six months.

The defamation suit stems from tweets posted by Gokhale, where he referred to a property purchased by Puri in Switzerland and raised questions regarding her and her husband’s assets. He had also tagged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the tweets and called for an ED inquiry.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, while decreeing the suit, emphasised the harm caused to Puri's reputation and ordered Gokhale to publish the apology prominently.

The case, Lakshmi Puri vs. Saket Gokhale, involves a civil suit filed by Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, who is wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in the Delhi High Court, seeking a mandatory injunction, damages, and costs along with interim reliefs. The defamation claim arose from tweets by Saket Gokhale that questioned Puri’s integrity.

Due to Gokhale's continuous non-appearance in the matter since April 13, 2022, the court had proceeded ex-parte against him by virtue of an order dated December 19, 2023, passed by Hon'ble Justice Sachin Datta.

The court decided that Gokhale must publish an apology to Puri in the Times of India and on his Twitter handle, where it must remain for six months. The court also restrained Gokhale from publishing any further defamatory content against Puri.

The court awarded Rs. 50 lakhs in damages to Puri for the harm caused to her reputation.