Latest news with #TrinamoolCongressRajyaSabha
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
HC warns TMC MP of civil imprisonment
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale as to why he should not be sent to civil prison over his failure 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 Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a plea filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri seeking execution 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 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. Earlier in April, 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.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Defamation case: Delhi HC warns Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale of civil imprisonment
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale as to why he should not be sent to civil prison over his failure 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 Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a plea filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri seeking execution 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 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. Earlier in April, 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." On May 2, a single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav rejected the plea filed by the Trinamool Congress seeking recall of the judgment passed in July last year.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi HC refuses to recall order directing TMC MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh, apologise to ex-diplomat Lakshmi Puri
The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed an application by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale seeking recall of an order that had directed him to pay Rs 50 lakh and issue a public apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. Justice Prushaindra Kaurav pronounced the verdict on Friday. A detailed verdict remains to be made public. The court also rejected an application by Gokhale to accept the delay in filing his recall application, noting that Gokhale had failed to provide a justification for the delay. Gokhale had contended that he was legally unrepresented when the order against him was issued. The dismissal of Gokhale's recall application adds to his troubles. Last week, on April 26, the Delhi High Court had directed for attachment of a portion of Gokhale's monthly salary until he deposits Rs 50 lakh with the court in relation to a defamation suit where Gokhale was directed to pay Rs 50 lakh as damages to Puri. In July 2021, the high court had passed an interim order, restraining Gokhale from posting any defamatory, scandalous or factually incorrect tweets against Puri or her husband, former diplomat and union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri. In her lawsuit filed in the high court, Puri had claimed that Gokhale, who posted certain tweets about her, had 'tarnished her good name and reputation by making reckless and false allegations' in relation to her financial affairs in the 'context of an apartment that she owns in Geneva, Switzerland'. Gokhale, in his application, was seeking the recall of a July 2024 order where the court had directed Gokhale to apologise and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages. Gokhale was directed that the apology be posted in a newspaper as well as on his X handle, which should be retained for 'six months from the date it is put out', as well as be published in a leading English daily in four weeks. The damages should be paid within eight weeks, the high court had said. Justice Kaurav, while dismissing Gokhale's application, is learnt to have referred to the July 2024 judgment where it was recorded that a vakalatnama by the lawyers representing Gokhale was filed, and a written statement too was filed.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale says he will ‘fight harder' after Delhi HC attaches 75 per cent of salary
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Friday said he would 'keep fighting harder,' a day after the Delhi High Court ordered the attachment of a major portion of his salary in connection with a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. 'It doesn't matter to me, I'll only keep fighting even harder. I am a soldier of Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool,' Gokhale said in a brief statement issued to the media. Sources close to the Trinamool MP said he would file an appeal against the court's order and also questioned its timing. The source added that 75 per cent of Gokhale's salary has been attached, which is his only source of income. On Thursday, the Delhi High Court directed that part of Gokhale's salary be attached until he deposits Rs 50 lakh in the court. The sum was earlier directed to be paid in the defamation case filed by Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who sued the MP in 2021 over allegations he had made regarding her financial affairs, particularly in connection with an apartment she owns in Geneva.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Attach part of TMC MP Saket Gokhale's salary till he pays Rs 50 lakh as damages: Delhi HC in defamation case
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed that a portion of Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale's monthly salary be attached until he deposits Rs 50 lakh with the court in relation to a defamation suit where he was directed to pay the amount as damages to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. On July 1, 2024, the high court had directed Gokhale to apologise to Puri over his social media posts on Puri's financial affairs and an apartment in Geneva and pay Rs 50 lakh as damages. Gokhale was directed that the apology be posted on his X handle, which should be retained for 'six months from the date it is put out', as well as publish it in a leading English daily in four weeks. In a separate plea, Gokhale has sought a recall of the July 2024 order. On Thursday, Gokhale's counsel informed Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora that he is not inclined to publish an apology as it would then make his plea for recall of the July 2024 order infructuous. Justice Arora, however, recorded that there is 'no reasonable explanation' for Gokhale 'not depositing the decretal amount'. Accordingly, the court directed that a warrant be issued for attachment of salary, which Gokhale has declared as Rs 1.90 lakh per month, under the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure that deal with the attachment of a portion of the salary of government servants. The court went on to direct that the salary shall remain attached until Gokhale deposits Rs 50 lakh with the court. In July 2021, the high court had passed an interim order, restraining Gokhale from posting any defamatory, scandalous or factually incorrect tweets against Puri or her husband, former diplomat and union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri. In her lawsuit, Puri had claimed that Gokhale, who posted certain tweets about her, had 'tarnished her good name and reputation by making reckless and false allegations' in relation to her financial affairs in the 'context of an apartment that she owns in Geneva, Switzerland'.
