Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:15pm on 11 Feb 2026,Wednesday India Global
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended himself against Rahul Gandhi's Epstein Files allegations, stating he met the late sex offender only 3-4 times as part of International Peace Institute delegations. Puri clarified his boss Terje Rod-Larsen knew Epstein, and their interactions were purely professional, unrelated to criminal charges. He referenced three million US Department of Justice documents covering 2009-2017, showing minimal contact during his UN ambassadorship. Puri read email exchanges discussing India's internet economy growth, noting Epstein called him "two-faced" and he wasn't their "right person." Gandhi raised Puri's name during Lok Sabha Budget session discussions. Epstein was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in August 2019, dying in jail one month later. (PC: X)
