Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Saket Gokhale has publicly and unconditionally apologized to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri for making false allegations against her regarding the purchase of overseas property. This apology comes after a defamation case filed by Puri led to a Delhi High Court ruling against Gokhale.

False Allegations Over Property Purchase Sparked Legal Battle

The controversy began in June 2021, when Saket Gokhale made a series of posts on social media accusing Lakshmi Puri and her husband, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, of purchasing a house in Geneva with black money. He questioned how a diplomat’s income could afford a property worth 1.6 million Swiss francs. The allegations were unverified and led to a defamation suit by Puri.

Delhi High Court Slaps ₹50 Lakh Fine, Orders Public Apology

In 2024, the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Lakshmi Puri, ordering Gokhale to pay ₹50 lakh in damages and issue a public apology. Gokhale challenged the verdict, but the court dismissed his appeal. In a strong move, the court also ordered that his MP salary be seized to recover the compensation amount.

Apology Issued on Social Media After Legal Pressure

On June 9, 2025, Gokhale posted his apology on social media platform X, writing:
"I unconditionally apologize for posting several posts against Ambassador Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri on 13 and 23 June 2021. These posts contained false and unverified allegations regarding the purchase of property abroad by Ambassador Puri, which I sincerely regret."

"1766" data-end="2079">Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri is a former Indian diplomat and was the Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations. Her husband, Hardeep Singh Puri, is currently a Union Minister in the Indian government. The defamatory posts by Gokhale had caused considerable damage to her reputation, prompting her legal action.