Defamation case: Delhi HC refuses to recall its judgment against Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale

New Delhi, May 2 The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to recall its order asking Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh as damages in a defamation case to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav rejected the plea filed by Gokhale seeking recall of the judgment passed in July last year.

The Delhi High Court had ordered the Trinamool leader to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. It had also directed Gokhale to publish an apology in a newspaper and on his social media platform X handle within four weeks for publishing wrong and unverified allegations.

Further, the Delhi HC had directed that the apology tweet published on Gokhale’s X account should be retained for six months.

Last month, Gokhale's salary, which he draws as a Member of Parliament, was ordered to be attached until the sum of Rs 50 lakh was deposited with the registry.

The Delhi High Court, in December last year, had issued notice on a contempt plea filed by Lakshmi Puri against Gokhale for his "wilful and deliberate non-compliance" of its judgment. It had then ordered the Rajya Sabha member to file an affidavit within the next four weeks disclosing all his assets, properties, and bank accounts and deposits.

The defamation suit was filed following Gokhale’s successive X posts accusing Lakshmi Puri of purchasing property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. He also named Hardeep Puri in the tweets. The Delhi High Court had held that the plaintiff suffered irreparable harm on account of Gokhale's defamatory statements. It said: "The defendant (Gokhale) is restrained from publishing further defamatory content against the plaintiff. Damages to the tune of Rs 50,00,000 are awarded to the plaintiff for the harm caused to her reputation."

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