Met Epstein 3-4 Times as Part of Peace Delegation: Hardeep Singh Puri Responds to Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday firmly rejected allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi linking him to the controversial “Epstein Files.” Addressing the issue publicly after Gandhi’s remarks in the lok Sabha, Puri clarified that his interactions with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein were limited, professional, and occurred in the context of his work with the International Peace Institute (IPI).

Speaking at a press conference, the senior BJP leader stated that he met Epstein “three or four times at most” during his tenure as a member of an IPI delegation and emphasized that these meetings had no connection to the criminal allegations that later emerged against Epstein.

‘Strictly Professional Interactions,’ Says Puri

“I met Epstein only a few times, three or four times at most, as part of a delegation. My supervisor at IPI, Terje Rod-Larsen, knew him. The crimes he is accused of have nothing to do with our interactions,” Hardeep Singh Puri said while responding to the claims.

Puri further noted that more than three million documents related to the Epstein case have already been released by the United States Department of Justice, making the details of communications part of the public domain.

“Three million emails spanning the period from May 2009, when I began serving as India’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, until my appointment as a minister in 2017, have been made public. In that entire period, only three or four meetings are referenced. All my interactions were strictly professional and related to the Independent Commission on Multilateralism and other global initiatives,” he stated.

Clarifying the extent of documented contact, Puri added: “In eight years, there are just two references and one email exchange with Epstein because certain individuals introduced me to him.”

‘My Interaction Has Nothing to Do With Criminal Allegations’

Addressing the broader controversy surrounding the Epstein Files, Puri stressed that the files primarily deal with serious criminal accusations, including sex trafficking and exploitation, and that his limited professional engagement bore no relation to those matters.

“The Epstein files, which Rahul Gandhi should read carefully, concern criminal offenses and allegations involving an island where individuals were allegedly taken for illicit activities. Victims have brought cases against people in positions of authority. My interaction has nothing to do with this,” the minister said.

Referring to one of the email exchanges cited in the public records, Puri explained that he had written to LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, with Epstein also included in the correspondence, about India’s digital growth potential.

“I am telling Reid Hoffman in that email that India offers tremendous opportunities for internet-based economic activity. I am just reading from it — India, with 200 million users at the time, was the fastest-growing country for internet adoption,” he said, underlining that the communication was focused on economic and technological issues.

“Epstein Called Me Two-Faced,” Puri Says

In an additional clarification, Puri referred to another email exchange from 2014, stating that he had distanced himself from Epstein’s activities.

“I had no interest in Epstein’s activities. In fact, I was not the ‘right person’ for them. Epstein described me as two-faced,” Puri said, suggesting that their association was neither close nor personal. He urged Rahul Gandhi to review the publicly available documents carefully before making allegations.

Political Row Intensifies After Lok Sabha Remarks

The clarification comes after Rahul Gandhi, during a speech in the Lok Sabha, claimed that Hardeep Singh Puri’s name appears in the Epstein Files — a collection of documents that detail investigations into Epstein’s alleged criminal network and associations.

The documents reportedly include references to a number of prominent global personalities, including political leaders and public figures such as former US President Bill Clinton and current US President Donald Trump.

Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. In August 2019, he was found dead in a New York detention facility while awaiting trial. His death was officially ruled a suicide, though it continues to be the subject of widespread scrutiny and speculation.

As the political exchange escalates, Puri has maintained that his limited, professional interactions during diplomatic service have been misrepresented and that publicly available records support his position.