Hardeep Puri Admits Meeting Jeffrey Epstein 3–4 Times; Calls Allegations of Links to Criminal Activities Baseless

New Delhi

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday acknowledged that he met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein three to four times, clarifying that the interactions were strictly professional and unrelated to any criminal activity. His statement came after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi mentioned his name in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the so-called “Epstein files.”

Addressing a press conference, Puri rejected allegations linking him to Epstein’s criminal cases as “completely baseless.” He stated that the meetings took place between 2009 and 2017, when he served as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York before becoming a minister.

“When I took charge as India’s Ambassador to the United Nations in May 2009 until I became a minister in 2017, nearly 3 million emails from that period have been released. Among them, there is reference to only three or four meetings, and my interactions were entirely professional,” Puri said. He added that the discussions were connected to the Independent Commission on Multilateralism and other international engagements.

Puri also clarified that he had met LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman in a professional capacity to discuss opportunities related to internet expansion and business prospects in India. He emphasized that none of his meetings had any association with wrongful or illegal activities.

Earlier in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi had raised the issue while referring to the Epstein controversy. He alleged that industrialist Anil Ambani’s name appeared in the Epstein files and claimed he knew who had introduced Ambani to Epstein. Gandhi stated that Hardeep Puri was also aware of the introduction, prompting strong reactions from the treasury benches.

The controversy follows claims made by Congress leaders, including Pawan Khera, who earlier shared purported screenshots on social media alleging conversations between Anil Ambani and Epstein in 2017 and 2019. The posts suggested discussions about meetings with prominent US political figures. The authenticity and context of these screenshots have not been independently verified.

The Ministry of External Affairs had previously dismissed reports based on alleged emails referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2017 visit to Israel, calling them “fabricated and baseless assertions” by a convicted criminal.

Jeffrey Epstein, a New York-based financier with connections to prominent global figures, was arrested in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors. He died by suicide in jail before trial. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for aiding his crimes and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

The issue has triggered a political slugfest, with the opposition demanding answers and the government dismissing the allegations as unfounded.

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