The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to recall its earlier order directing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale to pay ₹50 lakh in damages to former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri in a defamation case.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav dismissed Gokhale’s applications, including his plea seeking condonation of a delay of over 180 days in approaching the court for relief. “We can’t help you. We have to reject both the applications,” the judge observed, underscoring the lack of any satisfactory explanation for the delay.
The court had, in a judgment dated July 1, 2024, held Gokhale liable for defamation, noting that he had made baseless and defamatory statements on social media concerning Puri’s financial affairs, specifically regarding an apartment she owns in Geneva. The High Court had directed Gokhale to pay ₹50 lakh in damages, issue a public apology, and refrain from making further statements on any platform relating to the matter.
Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, a distinguished former diplomat and the wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, had initiated the civil defamation suit in 2021, asserting that Gokhale’s allegations had seriously damaged her reputation and professional standing.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh appeared for Puri, along with law firm Karanjawala & Co.
The court’s refusal to revisit the July 2024 ruling reinforces the legal consequences of defamatory speech, especially on digital platforms, and sends a clear message about the importance of accountability in public discourse.
