Opposition Demands Hardeep Puri Resign Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties

Indian opposition leaders are demanding the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri following the release of U.S. Department of Justice files and photographs allegedly showing him with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Indian National Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) claim the evidence contradicts Puri's previous assertions that he never met Epstein in private.

Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that the files reveal Puri and Epstein exchanged at least 62 emails and held 14 meetings between 2014 and 2017, many of which were one-on-one. Opposition figures, including K C Venugopal and Sanjay Raut, have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of criminal indifference, questioning if Puri was carrying messages on behalf of the Prime Minister during these encounters.

Some opposition members have linked the timing of these revelations to ongoing India-US trade deal negotiations under President Donald Trump and a recent visit by the U.S. Secretary of State to Mumbai.

Puri has previously refuted similar allegations made by Rahul Gandhi in February. He admitted to meeting Epstein four times between 2009 and 2017 in his capacity as a member of the IPI but maintained that he had no independent meetings and no connection to Epstein's criminal activities.