Union minister Hardeep Puri’s daughter has sought ₹10 crore in damages, a permanent injunction, and takedown directions against online content allegedly linking her to Jeffrey Epstein and his criminal activities.
Himayani Puri Files Defamation Suit
Himayani Puri, daughter of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court. She seeks removal of online news reports, videos, posts, and other content that link her to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
She has sought ₹10 crore in damages. She has also asked the Court to grant a permanent injunction against several social media entities and John Doe parties, described as unknown persons. In addition, she seeks removal of the impugned content published on online platforms across the world.
Takedown Directions Sought Against Platforms
Puri has also asked the Court to issue directions to social media intermediaries, including X, Google, Meta, and LinkedIn. She wants these platforms to take down similar defamatory statements or imputations when she brings them to their notice.
The case is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday.
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Suit Refers to Posts From February 22, 2026
According to the suit, several social media entities began circulating allegations against Puri from February 22, 2026. These posts claimed that she had direct or indirect business, financial, personal, or other network associations with Jeffrey Epstein and/or his criminal activities.
The suit also refers to allegations about Real Partners LLC, where Puri was employed. Those posts claimed that the company received funding, financial benefits, or tainted funds from Epstein or his associates. They also alleged that Robert Millard acted in concert with Puri to engineer the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Puri Calls Allegations False
Puri has argued that the allegations are entirely false, malicious, and without any factual basis.
“The Defendant Nos. 1 to 14 and several unidentified John Doe(s)/Ashok Kumar(s) have strategically propagated these unfounded allegations through sensationalist and manipulative formats, including edited videos, misleading captions, and doctored thumbnails, designed to maximise public outrage, digital virality, and consequent reputational harm to the Plaintiff [Puri],” the suit states.
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Plea Alleges Coordinated Campaign
The suit further states that a coordinated and motivated campaign targets Puri with the aim of maligning and discrediting her in India and abroad. It says the attacks stem from the fact that she is Hardeep Singh Puri’s daughter.
The plaint states that “she is being targeted in a coordinated and motivated manner with the clear intention of maligning and discrediting her, both in India and on a global scale.”
It further contends: “It is only because Mr Hardeep Singh Puri is currently a senior member of the Union Cabinet that his daughter, the Plaintiff, who is an exceptionally accomplished and self-reliant professional, is being viciously attacked.”
Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani settled the suit. Advocates Shantanu Agarwal, Madhulika Rai Sharma, Manas Arora, and Syed Hamza Ghayour of Lexster Law LLP filed it.
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