Anil Ambani not jailed because he's in Epstein Files: Rahul
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked why Anil Ambani, who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a ₹4,000 bank fraud case, is still roaming free. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, he asked, "Why is he not in jail?" Gandhi claimed the reason is because his name is in the Epstein Files. "I would also like to ask Hardeep Puri, who introduced him to Epstein. I know who introduced him, and Hardeep Puri knows who introduced him."
Twitter Post
'There are files on Epstein naming Hardeep Puri and Anil'
#WATCH | Delhi | Following his speech in Lok Sabha on the Union Budget, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says," I have said that I will authenticate the data I have. There are Department of Justice files on Epstein files naming Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani. In an ongoing case against… pic.twitter.com/81GNRNyOsd
— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026
Policy critique
Gandhi alleges Adani's chokehold on defense budget
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also trained his guns at businessman Gautam Adani, alleging that India's defense and economic policies are being influenced by concentrated corporate power. He claimed "at the center of our defense budget is a choke applied by Gautam Adani." His remarks drew repeated objections from treasury benches, with Lok Sabha Speaker Jagdambika Pal intervening to keep the debate focused on the Budget discussion.
Brother
MMA analogy to criticize Budget
When it came to the Union Budget, Gandhi used a mixed martial arts (MMA) analogy to criticize it. He said politics works on invisible pressure rather than visible force. Recalling a conversation with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who once asked him how he stayed fit, he said he practices jujutsu and martial arts. "The foundation of martial arts is the grip," he said, drawing parallels with political control.
Trade impact
India-US trade deal 'sells Bharat Mata': Gandhi
Further, he accused the government of "selling Bharat Mata" through a one-sided India-US interim trade agreement. "Are you not ashamed of selling India? Do you have no shame in selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata," he said. He alleged that this deal harmed farmers' interests as cheaper US agricultural products would flood Indian markets. He also said key domestic sectors such as textiles have been "finished" by government policies.
Global context
PM Modi's fear visible, says Rahul
Gandhi claimed that PM Modi under normal circumstances, would not "sell India," but alleged external pressure was influencing him. "You know why he sold India? Because they are choking him. They have got a grip on his neck... We can see fear in the eyes of the Prime Minister. There are two things- first, Epstein. 3 million files are still locked up" he said.