Chicago – February 15, 2026
TMC MP Sagarika Ghose has powerfully raised her voice, strongly condemning Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over his email exchanges with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Unsealed US Department of Justice documents have revealed email exchanges and meetings between Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender known for abusing minors.
Opposition leaders have strongly condemned these interactions as shocking, especially given Epstein’s history of child sexual exploitation. They highlighted the moral depravity of a government minister’s casual reference to victims as “underage women” during a recent press conference, contrasting it sharply with the Modi government’s “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” initiative.
Rahul Gandhi’s Remarks
Rahul Gandhi demanded Puri’s resignation, questioning the nature of the correspondence on India’s Digital India initiative and introductions to figures like LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. He labeled Puri’s defenses as unconvincing and politically motivated.
Gandhi emphasized multiple emails from 2014-2017 and at least five meetings at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, urging full accountability.
Minister’s Defense
Puri rebutted the claims, stating interactions were limited to professional delegations with the International Peace Institute before he joined the government in 2017. He denied personal ties post-Epstein’s 2008 conviction and dismissed opposition attacks as baseless.
The controversy continues to fuel BJP-opposition clashes, with calls for transparency amid the global Epstein files fallout.
