Saket Gokhale Ordered to Pay Rs 50 Lakh for Defamation

The Delhi High Court upheld its decision requiring TMC MP Saket Gokhale to compensate former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri Rs 50 lakh for defamation. Gokhale's plea to excuse a delay in seeking relief was rejected due to a lack of explanation. Puri's reputation was allegedly tarnished by false claims.

The Delhi High Court on Friday reaffirmed its decision ordering TMC MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages to former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri for defamation, denying Gokhale's request to reconsider the ruling.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav dismissed Gokhale's plea to overlook a delay of over 180 days in seeking the relief, citing the absence of an adequate explanation for the delay.

Puri accused Gokhale of damaging her reputation by making baseless allegations about her financial dealings concerning a Geneva apartment. Besides directing financial compensation and an apology, the court prohibited Gokhale from publishing related content on any platform.