Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s daughter, Himayani, has filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court to remove online content linking her to American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She has also sought ₹10 crore in damages and a permanent injunction against several social media entities. The Court directed social media platforms, including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and several digital news portals to immediately take down the content.
What the Lawsuit Says
Himayani’s suit claims that several posts, videos and articles started surfacing on the internet since February 22, 2026, indicating that she had a financial, personal or professional connection to convicted sex offender Epstein and his criminal network.
Some of the posts also indicated that Real Partners LLC, a company she worked for, had a financial connection to Epstein or a member of his criminal network. Another claim indicated her involvement, along with a financial figure, in events related to the Lehman Brothers financial crisis.
However, Himayani Puri has denied each of these claims as false, malicious, and baseless, according to NDTV. She argued that these allegations were designed to “maximise public outrage, digital virality, and consequent reputational harm” to her.
The lawsuit says that Himayani is being targeted because she is a minister’s daughter. “She is being targeted in a coordinated and motivated manner with the clear intention of maligning and discrediting her, both in India and on a global scale,” it reads.
Himayani Puri has requested:
- Immediate removal of all defamatory content
- A permanent injunction preventing further circulation
- Directions to intermediaries like Google, Meta, X and LinkedIn to act on such content when flagged
- An unconditional apology and retraction from those responsible
Delhi High Court’s Initial Response
The Delhi High Court is already involved in the matter, providing short- term relief by recognising an evident case of defamation. The social media platforms have been asked to take down the content identified by Puri within a short time frame.
If the users fail to do so, it is then the responsibility of the social media platforms themselves. For the moment, though, the order is only applicable in India, with a view towards expansion later. Puri is also allowed to flag similar content in the future as well.
