HC orders 24-hr takedown of posts linking Hardeep Puri’s daughter to Epstein

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Delhi High Court, on Tuesday, directed the removal of social media content linking Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri's daughter to convicted American sex offender late Jeffrey Epstein within 24 hours.

Justice Mini Pushkarna also restrained several users from publishing, circulating or disseminating such content on social media platforms in any manner.

The judge, who was hearing a lawsuit filed by Hardeep Puri's daughter, Himayani Puri, clarified that if social media users did not remove the posts, the concerned platforms shall take down or block access to such content.

The court also observed that Himayani Puri has a prima facie case in her favour and she will suffer irreparable injury if interim relief is not granted.

"Consequently, till the next date of hearing, the following directions are issued," the court said, while listing the case for further hearing in August.

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the plaintiff, said she has a "global reputation" to protect as a finance professional and that the allegations against her were "completely false, reckless and malicious".

Calling the allegations a "figment of imagination", Jethmalani argued that there was an "orchestrated attack" on the plaintiff, arising from "personal and political malice".

He said the defamatory content was published and shared by users who were "self-proclaimed journalists" or content creators.

Jethmalani also told the court that the plaintiff was a resident of New York and urged the court to pass an order to block the defamatory content globally.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Meta Platforms, submitted that such orders were not passed in any country and that the blocking of objectionable content was done country-wise.

He informed the court that the issue of a global blocking was pending before a division bench of the high court.

Restricting the take-down order to India at this stage, the court issued summonses on the lawsuit to the users and social media platforms, asking them to file their responses in the main case as well as the application for interim relief.

For content uploaded outside India, the social media platforms will block access to it in India, the court clarified.

The lawyer for one of the defendants submitted that his video was in pursuance of "journalistic freedom" and that free journalism should be protected.

The court observed that the matter required consideration and asked the defendants to file their replies.

In her lawsuit seeking Rs 10 crore as damages and an order to restrain several entities from disseminating defamatory content, Himayani Puri claimed there was a "coordinated and malicious online campaign" to link her to Epstein and his crimes.

She also sought an unconditional apology and retraction from the defendant entities.

"Commencing on or around 22.02.2026, a series of false, misleading and defamatory posts, articles, videos and digital material were published, disseminated and amplified across social media and intermediary platforms including inter alia X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, digital news portals and other web-based publications," the plea said.

The Epstein files refer to thousands of pages of documents related to two criminal investigations into sex trafficking by Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, including travel logs, recordings and emails, which have been a topic of conversation since Epstein died in custody in 2019.

PTI