Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday firmly rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charge linking him to disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein, clarifying that his interactions with Epstein were limited, official, and strictly within the ambit of institutional engagements.
Addressing a press conference shortly after Gandhi’s remarks in the Lok Sabha, Puri said he had met Epstein only a handful of times as part of an official delegation connected with the International Peace Institute (IPI), where he had previously served in a senior role. He stressed that the meetings were neither personal nor connected in any way to the criminal allegations that later emerged against Epstein.
“My boss at IPI knew Epstein and I met him only on a few occasions, three or four times to be precise, as part of a delegation. Our interactions had nothing to do with the crimes he is accused of,” Puri said. He underscored that his professional focus at the time was on policy discussions and outreach, and not on Epstein’s private affairs.
Puri went a step further, asserting that he had no interest in Epstein’s activities and was not aligned with his circle. “For them, I was not the ‘right person’… Epstein called me two-faced. Rahul should read the emails,” the minister remarked, suggesting that the correspondence, if examined in full context, would refute any insinuations of impropriety.
The Union Minister also pointed out that references to Epstein in his communications were negligible. “Just three or four references to his name out of three million emails… I met Epstein on a few occasions as part of a delegation and exchanged just one email,” he said. According to Puri, his principal engagement during that period was with LinkedIn co-founder and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, whom he had invited to India for professional discussions. He added that conversations in which Epstein was present revolved around initiatives such as “Make in India” and broader economic engagement.
The clarification came after Rahul Gandhi, during what was described as an explosive address in the Lok Sabha, claimed that Puri’s name figures in the so-called “Epstein Files.” These files reportedly detail Epstein’s criminal activities and list members of his wide-ranging social and professional network, including public figures, politicians, and celebrities from across the globe. Among those named in various reports related to the files are prominent international personalities, including former and current political leaders.
Gandhi’s remarks triggered a sharp political exchange, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissing the allegations as an attempt to malign a senior minister without substantive evidence. Puri maintained that being mentioned in documents related to Epstein’s vast network does not imply complicity or wrongdoing.
Reiterating his stand, the minister said that his professional record and public life speak for themselves. “I had no interest in Epstein’s activities,” he said, adding that any attempt to draw a connection between him and Epstein’s crimes was “baseless and misleading.”
The controversy has added to the intensifying political sparring between the government and the Opposition, with both sides trading charges inside and outside Parliament.
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