Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale on Tuesday issued a public apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri over his remarks against her in the context of an apartment that she owned in Geneva.
“I unconditionally apologise for having put-out a series of tweets against Amb. Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri on 13th and 23rd June 2021, which tweets contained wrong and unverified allegations in relation to the purchase of property by Amb. Puri abroad, which I sincerely regret,” Gokhale said in a post on X.
The apology came following the Delhi High Court’s directions in the defamation case.
BJP leader Amit Malviya took a dig at the TMC MP, saying he wrote an early morning post “hoping that not many would see him eat his words”.
“TMC MP Saket Gokhale apologised to former Ambassador Lakshmi Puri in a newspaper and again at 3:28 AM on X, hoping that not many would see him eat his words. But that only made it worse. He is being slammed for being disingenuous,” Malviya said.
“I am also told he is yet to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages. The court has ordered his salary to be attached in the meantime. The matter is being pursued aggressively. His handlers in the TMC seem to have abandoned him,” the BJP leader said. Hitting back, Gokhale said, “Delighted to give BJP IT cell some employment for the day. Also paid tribute to Savarkar.” Puri sued Gokhale in 2021 over his remarks on her financial affairs in the context of an apartment she owned in Geneva.
On July 1, 2024, the high court restrained Gokhale from publishing any more content against Puri on social media or electronic platforms and directed him to apologise to her and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages.