Lakshmi Puri filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against TMC leader Saket Gokhale, accusing him of not following a defamation ruling. The case is based on a defamation suit Puri had filed, which led to a court order. She says Gokhale has not followed the directions given in the order. Her petition asks the court to enforce the judgment and take proper legal action.
New Delhi: Former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Lakshmi Puri filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against TMC leader Saket Gokhale, alleging non-compliance with a court order requiring him to apologize on social media and pay Rs.50 lakh in damages following a defamation suit.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued a notice regarding Puri’s plea, aimed at enforcing the judgment rendered on July 1, 2024. The court also instructed Gokhale to submit an affidavit detailing all his assets, properties, and bank accounts within four weeks, with the next hearing set for February 5, 2025.
Read Also: Rs 50 Lakh & Apology: Why Delhi HC Orders TMC MP Saket Gokhale in Defamation Case?
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, a former ASG, represented Lakshmi Puri. In the July ruling, the Delhi High Court ordered AITMC MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs.50 lakh in damages to Puri and mandated him to post an apology on his Twitter account.
The court specified that,
“The apology on the Twitter handle should stay for six months.”
This case stems from Gokhale’s alleged defamatory tweets concerning Puri’s integrity.
The court noted,
“The plaintiff has suffered irreparable harm on account of Defendant No. 1, i.e., Saket Gokhale’s defamatory statements,”
The Court also directed him to apologize in both the Times of India and on his X account, stating,
“The tweet must remain for six months. Gokhale was also restrained from publishing further defamatory content against Puri.”
The judgment emphasized that while no monetary award can fully remedy reputational damage, Gokhale was nonetheless ordered to pay the Rs. 50 lakh damages within eight weeks.
According to Puri’s petition, Gokhale made false allegations in tweets dated June 13 and June 23, 2021, claiming that she and her husband had purchased a house in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2006 using “black money.”
His tweets referenced “Swiss bank accounts” and “foreign black money,” prompting him to tag the Union Finance Minister to initiate a money-laundering inquiry against Puri and her husband.
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