Congress Demands Hardeep Puri Explain 62 Epstein Emails and 14 Meetings
Congress Demands Hardeep Puri Explain 62 Epstein Emails and 14 Meetings
Congress presses for clarity and Puri's resignation as it flags 62 emails and 14 meetings with Epstein between 2014-2017.
The Congress has stepped up its accusation against Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, alleging that he lied about his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The party claims there were 62 email exchanges between Puri and Epstein from 2014 to 2017 and asks for a full explanation of the meetings that occurred in 2014 and over the following years. It points to nine meetings in 2014 and a total of 14 meetings from 2014 to 2017 as part of its argument for resignation and accountability.
Puri has denied the charges, saying he met Epstein only on a few occasions and that the discussions were professional in nature. He has rejected the opposition’s framing and stressed that the interactions did not imply any improper conduct.
During a press briefing, Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what position Puri held in June 2014 and in what capacity he met Epstein, emphasising the timeline surrounding these alleged exchanges. He asserted that the 62 emails were split between Puri (32) and Epstein (30) and pressed for a thorough clarification of the meetings on specific dates such as June 5-9 in 2014, and September 19-24 and October 9-10 in the same year.
The exchange came as the government faced broader questions about transparency, including disagreements over a high-profile AI summit in Delhi. Khera accused government sources of giving contradictory statements about Bill Gates’ planned participation, highlighting the ongoing political friction around official narratives and media handling.
As the debate continues, the Congress is reiterating its demand for Puri’s resignation until these questions about his communications with Epstein are fully addressed, while the minister and his supporters maintain that the relations were incidental and professional.
