Delhi High Court gives Lakshmi Puri time to review Saket Gokhale’s fresh apology affidavit. Court notes mismatch between earlier directed and newly filed apology.
New Delhi: On July 22, the Delhi High Court gave time to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri to go through a new affidavit submitted by TMC MP Saket Gokhale, in which he has offered an apology for his alleged defamatory statements against her.
A division bench consisting of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shanker passed the order after Puri’s lawyer informed the court that he had not received a copy of Gokhale’s fresh affidavit in advance and got to see it only in the courtroom before the hearing began.
Earlier, on July 8, the court had rejected Gokhale’s written apology and asked him to file a fresh affidavit that clearly addressed the concerns raised in the case.
On Tuesday, Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, representing Gokhale, informed the bench that a new affidavit had been filed in compliance with the court’s directions.
However, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing on behalf of Puri, requested additional time to properly go through the document, since it was handed over only minutes before the hearing began.
Taking note of the situation, the bench postponed the hearing and listed the matter for July 24.
The court remarked that the content of the affidavit could not be accepted on record at this point and advised Gokhale’s counsel to withdraw the current apology and file a new one.
The bench observed that
“there was a difference in the two apologies — the one directed to be published by the single judge and the one filed by Gokhale”.
The matter arises from an earlier decision by a single judge bench of the Delhi High Court on July 1, 2024, which had barred Saket Gokhale from making any further posts on social media or any online platform targeting Lakshmi Puri.
The court had also directed him to tender an apology and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages to Puri for causing harm to her reputation.
In its July 1 ruling, the High Court had clearly stated that Gokhale must refrain from publishing any more content on any social media or electronic platform against Puri.
Following the order, Gokhale moved the court seeking a review of the judgment, but the division bench of the High Court on Monday (July 22) refused to entertain the earlier apology submitted by him and asked for a properly revised affidavit.
ALSO READ: Delhi High Court Warns TMC Leader Saket Gokhale: “Apologise to Lakshmi Puri or Face Jail”
The legal tussle continues as the court examines whether the apology offered by the TMC MP meets the legal standards required for such a serious defamation matter.
The final decision on the matter is now expected on July 24, when the bench will consider the fresh affidavit filed by Saket Gokhale.
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