Hardeep Puri clarifies on Rahul’s Epstein files claims

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri strongly refuted Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s claims linking him to convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Puri clarified that he met Epstein only a few times as part of a delegation and exchanged just one email, stressing that his interactions had no connection to Epstein’s criminal activities. He called Gandhi a “Yuva Neta” making baseless allegations and highlighted his own public service and contributions. Puri detailed that in November 2014, as a private citizen, he engaged with global leaders like Reid Hoffman to discuss India’s opportunities, predating government initiatives like Digital India. He reiterated that references to him in the Epstein files are minimal—three or four meetings over eight years—and all facts are publicly available. Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, accused the government of compromising India’s interests, alleging energy and financial weaponisation by the US and linking Epstein files to undisclosed pressures on the Prime Minister.