Delhi High Court Questions TMC MP Saket Gokhale On Delayed Public Apology In Defamation Case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday questioned Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Saket Gokhale regarding his failure to issue a public apology, despite an earlier court order in the defamation case filed by India’s former Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations, Lakshmi Puri.

During the hearing, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora asked Gokhale’s lawyer why he had not published the public apology, despite the absence of a stay on the court’s order.

“When there is no stay on the order to apologize, why has the public apology not been issued yet?” Justice Arora asked.

The court’s remarks came during the ongoing proceedings concerning Gokhale’s defamation case.

Lawyer’s Request For Delayed Hearing

During the hearing, Gokhale’s lawyer informed the court that the application to withdraw the relevant instruction remained pending and that the court would hear it on April 15.

The lawyer then requested an adjournment of the matter until after the scheduled hearing date.

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Lakshmi Puri’s lawyer objected, arguing that the concerned bench had received the matter late and that it was unrelated to the main application to withdraw the apology order.

The court emphasize that, in the absence of a stay, Gokhale legally require to comply with the order and issue the public apology.

Previous Court Order And Defamation Allegations

The court had previously ruled on July 1 of last year, directing Saket Gokhale to publicly apologize on social media within four weeks and pay Lakshmi Puri Rs 50 lakh in damages.

Gokhale’s failure to comply led Puri to file a petition demanding enforcement of the order.

Puri’s petition accuses Gokhale of making defamatory allegations against her and her husband, Hardeep Singh Puri, in a series of tweets.

Specifically, Gokhale had alleged that the couple purchased a house in Geneva in 2006 with black money.

Gokhale had also implicated the Union Finance Minister, tagging them in a tweet that called for an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate under the money laundering laws.

Next Hearing Scheduled For April 24

The Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for April 24, 2025, to address the issue of the public apology and the enforcement of the earlier court order.

Lakshmi Puri’s petition further contends that Gokhale’s claims, which included references to Swiss bank accounts and foreign black money, were baseless and aimed at tarnishing her reputation.

The ongoing legal battle underscores the growing importance of addressing defamatory statements in the public domain and enforcing accountability for false allegations.