Himayani Puri, daughter of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking ₹10 crore in damages over what she described as “false and malicious” reports linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a defamation suit filed before the court, Puri has sought directions to several social media platforms and online intermediaries to remove content that allegedly associates her with Epstein or his criminal activities.
According to the petition, the plaintiff has asked the court to direct platforms including Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and X to take down posts that she claims are defamatory and misleading.
Also Read | Delhi High Court to hear habeas corpus pleas on March 15 over alleged student detention
The plea also seeks the issuance of so-called “John Doe” or “Ashok Kumar” directions against unidentified individuals allegedly responsible for spreading the material online.
Claims of “false and malicious” allegations
In the petition, Puri states that from February 22, 2026, several social media accounts and online entities began circulating allegations suggesting that she had direct or indirect business, financial or personal connections with Epstein.
The suit states that posts circulating online also alleged that Real Partners LLC, where Puri previously worked, had received financial benefits or funding from Epstein or his associates. Some posts additionally claimed that financier Robert Millard acted in concert with Puri in relation to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, an allegation the suit describes as entirely baseless.
“The Defendant Nos. 1 to 14 and several unidentified John Doe(s)/Ashok Kumar(s) have strategically propagated these unfounded allegations through sensationalist and manipulative formats, including edited videos, misleading captions and doctored thumbnails,” the petition states.
According to the plea, the posts were designed to amplify public outrage and cause reputational damage.
Allegation of coordinated targeting
The suit also claims that the alleged defamatory campaign is part of a coordinated attempt to damage her reputation.
Also Read | 2 killed, 3 critically injured after trucks collide on Delhi–Dehradun Expressway in Ghaziabad
The petition states that Puri is being targeted both in India and internationally because of her association with her father, a senior member of the Union Cabinet.
“It is only because Mr Hardeep Singh Puri is currently a senior member of the Union Cabinet that his daughter… is being viciously attacked,” the plea states. The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the Delhi High Court later this week, possibly on Tuesday or Wednesday.
