In a strong rebuke to TMC MP Saket Gokhale, the Delhi High Court on Friday refused to recall its earlier order directing him to pay ₹50 lakh in damages to former diplomat and UN official Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri for defamation. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav dismissed both Gokhale’s application to review the decision and his request to condone a delay of over 180 days in approaching the court.
“We can’t help you. We have to reject both the applications,†the court stated, adding that no valid explanation was offered for the delay.
Puri had filed the defamation suit in 2021, accusing Gokhale of publishing false and reckless allegations about her financial affairs, particularly regarding an apartment she owned in Geneva. The court, in a judgment dated July 1, 2024, ruled in Puri’s favour, ordering Gokhale to publicly apologise and pay ₹50 lakh in damages. Additionally, he was barred from making or publishing any further defamatory content about her on social media or electronic platforms.
Puri was represented by senior advocate Maninder Singh and the law firm Karanjawala & Co., while the court’s decision further solidifies her legal victory in a high-profile social media defamation battle.
