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

Stepping up their attack on Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Opposition parties demanded his resignation, alleging that the revelations regarding his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had raised serious questions about his conduct.

Members of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc on Friday (February 13, 2025) protested outside the main entrance of the Parliament building. They also raised slogans inside the Lok Sabha, forcing an adjournment.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters, party spokesperson Pawan Khera asked in what capacity and under whose instructions Mr. Puri had met Epstein in the United States between 2014 and 2016, when he had held no official post.

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

Alleging that Epstein appeared to be attempting to influence foreign policy matters, Mr. Khera cited an email in which Epstein reportedly expressed “strong opinions” on developments in the Middle East.

The Congress leader claimed that the remarks were in reference to a visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to India, and questioned whether subsequent diplomatic moves were influenced by such considerations.

“This suggests that our foreign policy was not being run by the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister, but by a sex predator sitting in the U.S.,” Mr. Khera said, noting that the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj did not figure in the Epstein-related documents.

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

“On November 13, 2014, Epstein sent an email to [Linked-in co-founder] Reid Hoffman, providing information about ‘Digital India’, even though ‘Digital India’ was launched in July 2015. This means that Hardeep Puri had already informed Epstein about ‘Digital India’ before the citizens of India,” he alleged.

He also accused the Minister of making misleading claims in his public statements, citing emails in which Mr. Puri is reportedly said to have sought meetings with Epstein.

Mr. Khera said that there was more yet to emerge from the Epstein-related material, and the truth would come out in due course.