Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale Ordered to Pay Rs 50 Lakh in Defamation Case

On Monday, the Delhi High Court ruled that Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale must issue an apology and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages to Lakshmi Puri, a former Indian Assistant Secretary-General to the United Nations. This decision comes in response to a defamation lawsuit filed by Puri against Gokhale.

The case revolves around tweets posted by Gokhale on June 13 and 26, 2021. In these tweets, Gokhale mentioned a property that Lakshmi Puri had bought in Switzerland and also referred to her husband, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Lakshmi Puri claimed that Gokhale’s tweets contained false allegations, prompting her to file a defamation suit.

The High Court stated that Gokhale’s tweets have damaged the reputation that Lakshmi Puri has built in society. The court emphasized that even though Puri may not currently hold a public office, she is still regarded as a respected public intellectual and role model.

The court noted that such allegations could severely harm a person’s reputation, especially if they are closely associated with someone holding a high public office. The court pointed out that the false information in Gokhale’s tweets likely influenced the opinions of people within Puri’s professional and social circles.

Furthermore, the court criticized Gokhale’s behavior following the tweets. Despite being warned about the false content, Gokhale continued to stand by his statements and showed a lack of responsibility and remorse during the legal proceedings.

The court concluded that while the damage to Puri’s reputation cannot be entirely undone, Gokhale must at least offer an “unreserved and unconditional apology.” The court ordered Gokhale to publish this apology on his X handle and prominently in the Times of India newspaper.

Published By: Rishabh Sharma Published On: Jul 1, 2024