Delhi High Court struck a blow for truth Tuesday, ordering the immediate takedown of social media posts that wrongly tied Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s daughter, Himani Puri, to Jeffrey Epstein’s scandalous world. Described by her lawyer as exposing a ‘defamatory campaign,’ the verdict affirms the claims were pure fiction.
Justice Mini Pushkarna’s interim order targets X (formerly Twitter), Google, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn, and anonymous posters. All must purge content linking Himani to the disgraced financier within 24 hours. The posts, rife with unfounded accusations, sought to damage her standing.
Mahesh Jethmalani, the seasoned counsel arguing her case, called it ‘judicial vindication.’ He pointed out the campaign’s intent: to malign an innocent individual with zero links to Epstein’s crimes. ‘These were baseless, malicious efforts to harm her image,’ Jethmalani remarked.
Himani’s defamation suit laid bare the deceit—online narratives fabricating connections to Epstein’s network. Relief sought included content removal, future safeguards for platforms, hefty Rs 10 crore compensation, and a perpetual ban on such smears.
With the matter under continued scrutiny, the court prioritized urgent action against the posts. Wednesday’s listing promises further developments. This case underscores the perils of viral falsehoods and courts’ readiness to intervene, balancing free speech with reputation protection in the digital age.