Hardeep Puri's daughter moves court over links to Jeffrey Epstein
What's the story
Himayani Puri, daughter of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, has filed a ₹10 crore defamation suit in the Delhi High Court, seeking to remove online content linking her to the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The suit also seeks a permanent injunction against social media platforms and John Doe parties involved in publishing these reports. The case is likely to be listed for hearing on Tuesday.
Defamation claims
Allegations include business ties with Epstein
The suit, filed through Lexster Law LLP, alleges that from February 22, 2026, social media platforms started making allegations that she had direct or indirect business, financial, personal, or network connections with Epstein and/or his illegal crimes. It was also alleged that Real Partners LLC, where Puri worked, got funding, financial perks, or tainted cash from Epstein or his allies, and that one Robert Millard conspired with Puri to engineer the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Rebuttal
Puri being targeted due to father's position: Suit
Puri has vehemently denied these allegations, calling them entirely false, malicious, and devoid of any factual foundation. She claims the defendants have propagated these allegations through sensationalist and manipulative formats, including edited videos, misleading captions, and doctored thumbnails, designed to maximize public outrage, digital virality, and consequent reputational harm to the Puri. The suit argues that Puri is being targeted because of her father's position in the Union Cabinet.
Legal team
Case settled by senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani
"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," the suit says. The suit seeks directions to social media intermediaries X, Google, Meta and LinkedIn to remove defamatory content when Puri brings similar defamatory statements or imputations to their notice.