Opposition steps up attack on Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over Epstein Files

Opposition parties have stepped up their attack on Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, demanding his resignation, alleging that emerging information about his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein raises serious questions about his conduct.

Members of the INDIA (Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance) bloc protested in front of the main entrance of the Parliament building on Friday, February 13, 2025. They also shouted slogans in the Lok Sabha, forcing the meeting to be adjourned.

At a press conference held at the convention centre, party spokesman Pawan Khera asked in what capacity and on whose instructions Mr Puri met with Epstein in the US between 2014 and 2016, when he was not on an official duty.

Mr. Puri was then a retired Indian Foreign Service officer, Mr. Khera said. Three Indian ambassadors were posted in Washington during this period, but none of them met Epstein. “Whose briefing was Puri carrying?” Mr Khera asked.

Claiming that Epstein appeared to be trying to influence foreign policy issues, Mr. Khera cited an email in which Epstein reportedly expressed his “strong views” on developments in the Middle East.

The Congress leader claimed that the remarks were in reference to Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s visit to India and questioned whether subsequent diplomatic moves were influenced by such assessments.

“This shows that our foreign policy is being driven not by the Prime Minister or the Foreign Secretary but by a US-based sex predator,” Mr. Khera said, noting that then Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was not included in the documents related to Epstein.

Referring to reports that Mr. Puri had discussed the ‘Digital India’ initiative with Epstein, Mr. Khera asked under what authority such conversations were held before the official announcement of the programme.

“On November 13, 2014, Epstein sent an email to: [Linked-in co-founder] Reid Hoffman gives insight into ‘Digital India’ even though ‘Digital India’ was launched in July 2015. “This means Hardeep Puri informed Epstein about ‘Digital India’ before Indian citizens,” he said.

He also accused the Minister of making misleading claims in his public statements, citing emails in which Mr Puri was said to have asked to meet with Epstein.

Mr Khera said more of the Epstein-related material would emerge and the truth would come out in due course.