Latest news with #TrinamoolCongressRajyaSabha
NDTV
10-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Sincerely Regret": Trinamool MP's Public Apology To Minister's Wife
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Tuesday tendered an apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, for a series of defamatory tweets posted in 2021 regarding her purchase of property abroad. The apology came after the Delhi High Court, in a July 2024 judgment, directed him to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages for making "wrong and unverified allegations". Taking to X, Mr Gokhale wrote, "I unconditionally apologise for having put out a series of tweets against Amb. Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri on 13th and 23rd June 2021, which tweets contained wrong and unverified allegations in relation to the purchase of property by Amb. Puri abroad, which I sincerely regret." The apology follows the court's directive that Mr Gokhale must publish an apology in a national newspaper and on social media within four weeks, and keep the apology tweet visible on his X account for a period of six months. The Delhi High Court had earlier noted that the defamatory statements caused "irreparable harm" to Lakshmi Puri's reputation and barred Mr Gokhale from posting any further defamatory content against her. The court had also ordered the attachment of Mr Gokhale's salary as a Member of Parliament until the Rs 50 lakh was deposited with the court registry. On May 28, the High Court questioned Mr Gokhale on why he should not be sent to civil prison for failing to comply with the earlier order regarding damages payment. The defamation suit stemmed from a series of posts made by Mr Gokhale in June 2021, in which he accused Lakshmi Puri of acquiring property in Switzerland disproportionate to her known sources of income. He also mentioned Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in the posts, prompting legal action from the former diplomat. The court's July 2024 judgment concluded that the statements made by Mr Gokhale were defamatory and awarded Rs 50 lakh in damages to the plaintiff. It also directed Mr Gokhale to disclose all his assets, properties, bank accounts, and deposits in an affidavit within four weeks after the contempt proceedings began in December last year. The court held the Trinamool leader's actions as "wilful and deliberate non-compliance" of the judgment. A fresh blow came for Gokhale on May 2 this year when Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav rejected his plea seeking a recall of the July 2024 order, thereby upholding the original decision.
Hans India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale issues public apology to Lakshmi Puri for levelling 'unverified allegations'
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Tuesday tendered an apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, for a series of defamatory tweets posted in 2021 regarding her purchase of property abroad. The apology came after the Delhi High Court, in a July 2024 judgment, directed him to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages for making "wrong and unverified allegations". Taking to X, Gokhale wrote, "I unconditionally apologise for having put out a series of tweets against Amb. Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri on 13th and 23rd June 2021, which tweets contained wrong and unverified allegations in relation to the purchase of property by Amb. Puri abroad, which I sincerely regret." The apology follows the court's directive that Gokhale must publish an apology in a national newspaper and on social media within four weeks, and keep the apology tweet visible on his X account for a period of six months. The Delhi High Court had earlier noted that the defamatory statements caused "irreparable harm" to Lakshmi Puri's reputation and barred Gokhale from posting any further defamatory content against her. The court had also ordered the attachment of Gokhale's salary as a Member of Parliament until the Rs 50 lakh was deposited with the court registry. On May 28, the High Court questioned Gokhale on why he should not be sent to civil prison for failing to comply with the earlier order regarding damages payment. The defamation suit stemmed from a series of posts made by Gokhale in June 2021, in which he accused Lakshmi Puri of acquiring property in Switzerland disproportionate to her known sources of income. He also mentioned Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in the posts, prompting legal action from the former diplomat. The court's July 2024 judgment concluded that the statements made by Gokhale were defamatory and awarded Rs 50 lakh in damages to the plaintiff. It also directed Gokhale to disclose all his assets, properties, bank accounts, and deposits in an affidavit within four weeks after the contempt proceedings began in December last year. The court held the Trinamool leader's actions as "wilful and deliberate non-compliance" of the judgment. A fresh blow came for Gokhale on May 2 this year when Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav rejected his plea seeking a recall of the July 2024 order, thereby upholding the original decision.
Hans India
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
HC warns TMC MP of civil imprisonment
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale as to why he should not be sent to civil prison over his failure to pay Rs 50 lakh as damages in a defamation case to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. A single-judge Bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a plea filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri seeking execution of the judgment passed in July last year. The Delhi High Court had ordered the Trinamool leader to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. It had also directed Gokhale to publish an apology in a newspaper and on his social media platform X within four weeks for publishing wrong and unverified allegations. Further, the Delhi HC had directed that the apology tweet published on Gokhale's X account should be retained for six months. Earlier in April, Gokhale's salary, which he draws as a Member of Parliament, was ordered to be attached until the sum of Rs 50 lakh was deposited with the registry. The Delhi High Court, in December last year, had issued notice on a contempt plea filed by Lakshmi Puri against Gokhale for his 'wilful and deliberate non-compliance' of its judgment. It had then ordered the Rajya Sabha member to file an affidavit within the next four weeks disclosing all his assets, properties, and bank accounts and deposits. The defamation suit was filed following Gokhale's successive X posts accusing Lakshmi Puri of purchasing property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. He also named Hardeep Puri in the tweets.
Hans India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Defamation case: Delhi HC warns Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale of civil imprisonment
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale as to why he should not be sent to civil prison over his failure to pay Rs 50 lakh as damages in a defamation case to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. A single-judge Bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a plea filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri seeking execution of the judgment passed in July last year. The Delhi High Court had ordered the Trinamool leader to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. It had also directed Gokhale to publish an apology in a newspaper and on his social media platform X within four weeks for publishing wrong and unverified allegations. Further, the Delhi HC had directed that the apology tweet published on Gokhale's X account should be retained for six months. Earlier in April, Gokhale's salary, which he draws as a Member of Parliament, was ordered to be attached until the sum of Rs 50 lakh was deposited with the registry. The Delhi High Court, in December last year, had issued notice on a contempt plea filed by Lakshmi Puri against Gokhale for his "wilful and deliberate non-compliance" of its judgment. It had then ordered the Rajya Sabha member to file an affidavit within the next four weeks disclosing all his assets, properties, and bank accounts and deposits. The defamation suit was filed following Gokhale's successive X posts accusing Lakshmi Puri of purchasing property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. He also named Hardeep Puri in the tweets. The Delhi High Court had held that the plaintiff suffered irreparable harm on account of Gokhale's defamatory statements. It said: "The defendant (Gokhale) is restrained from publishing further defamatory content against the plaintiff. Damages to the tune of Rs 50,00,000 are awarded to the plaintiff for the harm caused to her reputation." On May 2, a single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav rejected the plea filed by the Trinamool Congress seeking recall of the judgment passed in July last year.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi HC refuses to recall order directing TMC MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh, apologise to ex-diplomat Lakshmi Puri
The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed an application by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale seeking recall of an order that had directed him to pay Rs 50 lakh and issue a public apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. Justice Prushaindra Kaurav pronounced the verdict on Friday. A detailed verdict remains to be made public. The court also rejected an application by Gokhale to accept the delay in filing his recall application, noting that Gokhale had failed to provide a justification for the delay. Gokhale had contended that he was legally unrepresented when the order against him was issued. The dismissal of Gokhale's recall application adds to his troubles. Last week, on April 26, the Delhi High Court had directed for attachment of a portion of Gokhale's monthly salary until he deposits Rs 50 lakh with the court in relation to a defamation suit where Gokhale was directed to pay Rs 50 lakh as damages to Puri. In July 2021, the high court had passed an interim order, restraining Gokhale from posting any defamatory, scandalous or factually incorrect tweets against Puri or her husband, former diplomat and union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri. In her lawsuit filed in the high court, Puri had claimed that Gokhale, who posted certain tweets about her, had 'tarnished her good name and reputation by making reckless and false allegations' in relation to her financial affairs in the 'context of an apartment that she owns in Geneva, Switzerland'. Gokhale, in his application, was seeking the recall of a July 2024 order where the court had directed Gokhale to apologise and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages. Gokhale was directed that the apology be posted in a newspaper as well as on his X handle, which should be retained for 'six months from the date it is put out', as well as be published in a leading English daily in four weeks. The damages should be paid within eight weeks, the high court had said. Justice Kaurav, while dismissing Gokhale's application, is learnt to have referred to the July 2024 judgment where it was recorded that a vakalatnama by the lawyers representing Gokhale was filed, and a written statement too was filed.
