Justice served: Delhi HC fines TMC MP Saket Gokhale Rs 50 lakh for defamation; verdict hailed

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri.

The order was passed by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, instructing Gokhale to publish an apology in The Times of India newspaper and on his X handle. The court required compliance within eight weeks.

Ex-diplomat sues Gokhale

Lakshmi Puri, wife of Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, had sued Gokhale after he alleged that she had purchased property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. In July 2021, the court issued an interim order directing Gokhale to remove the allegedly defamatory tweets and restrained him from posting any defamatory content against the Puris.

Puri claimed that Gokhale's tweets were defamatory, malicious, and based on false information. She argued that Gokhale falsely claimed her income could have only been Rs 10-12 lakh as she was on deputation from the Government of India to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

"Shri Gokhale's false tweets not only sought to paint me, a retired public servant who held high office, in a negative light, but also deliberately aimed to mire my husband, a Minister in the Central government, in controversy. I quote point 86 of the judgment which states, "this court also gets the clear impression that defendant No.1 (Shri Gokhale) was making roving allegations against the plaintiff and her husband. What is quite evident is that defendant No.1 was actually targeting the plaintiff's husband, who was (and is even today) a serving Minister under the Central Government, since it otherwise defies reason as to why defendant No.1 would target the plaintiff who had retired from foreign service back in 2011."

In a detailed order, Justice Bhambhani found Gokhale's allegations to be "incorrect, false, and untrue." The court noted that social media messages generate a "social-media chain reaction, which is no less dangerous in today's milieu than a nuclear reaction gone out of control."

Point 99 of the judgment highlights the reputational damage of Shri Gokhale's actions, stating that "... the false contents of the offending tweets would, without a shred of doubt, have found their way into the official ecosystem in which the plaintiff moves about, and in which her husband functions. People who matter are likely to have formed opinions in relation to the plaintiff (and her husband) based on what was contained in the offending tweets. Needless to add, that the loss of esteem suffered by the plaintiff, even if based on utter falsehood, would have resulted inevitably in loss of social standing, accompanied by psychological distress, aggravated by the pain of false accusation." Lakshmi Puri said in a statement.

Puri hails HC's judgement

Puri expressed satisfaction with the judgment, highlighting the court's recognition of the reputational damage caused by Gokhale's false tweets. She emphasized that the allegations, made without any basis in fact, compelled her to take legal action to repair the damage to her reputation and privacy.

The court's judgment underscored the severity of the damage to reputation that can be caused by social media. It criticized Gokhale's behavior, noting that despite being cautioned about the falsity of his tweets, he persisted in his stand. The judgment also highlighted Gokhale's indifference and lack of responsibility throughout the proceedings.

"This judgment has underscored the severity of damage to reputation that can be caused to public personalities through a few keystrokes on social media platforms. Shri Gokhale made false allegations against my name, tarnishing my reputation with baseless allegations of financial impropriety. It was unwarranted, unprovoked, politically motivated, and utterly lacking in any due diligence or responsibility. I thank the Hon'ble Court for recognising that Shri Gokhale's tweets defamed me, and for providing me the requisite relief and compensatory damages with this judgment," she added.

Senior international journalist and Editorial Director, Asia of Newsweek, Danish Manzoor, expressed his views on the matter via X, stating, "False and unfounded allegations harm reputations and undermine trust in public discourse. Kudos to @lakshmiunwomen and @HardeepSPuri for their resilience. This judgment is a strong reminder for responsible social media use."

Puri stated her intention to donate the awarded damages to the PM CARES fund as soon as she receives them. She thanked her husband, family, friends, and well-wishers for their support and expressed hope that the judgment would set a standard for responsible social media discourse.