Delhi High Court Asks Saket Gokhale, Lakshmi Puri To Settle Defamation Case, Says Courts Already 'Over Flooded'

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked All India Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale to settle the defamation case filed by former Indian Assistant Secretary-General to the United Nations, Lakshmi Puri, saying that the courts are already 'over flooded'.

A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said that the parties may have a meeting to settle the matter, noting that Gokhle had tendered an apology which was accepted by Puri.

“You're in public life, respected public figures. If both parties can see, sit together and try to resolve the dispute…Please take into consideration court are already over flooded," the Court said.

Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appeared for Puri. Senior Advocate Amit Sibal represented Gokhale.

Both Singh and Sibal told Court that they will talk to their respective clients and consider court's proposal to settle the matter.

Puri had objected to Gokhale's tweets raising questions about her and her husband, Union Minister Hardeep Puri's assets, over a property purchased by her in Switzerland. She contended that the tweets were false and defamatory.

In July 2021, a single judge had, through an interim order, directed Gokhale to take down the tweets. He was also restrained from posting any further defamatory material against Puri.

The interim order was confirmed last year, with Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani decreeing the defamation suit in her favour. The single judge had asked Gokhale to publish the prescribed apology in Times of India and on his Twitter handle. He was also directed to pay Rs. 50 lakh damages to Puri.

In his appeal, Gokhale has also challenged the ruling rejecting his plea to recall the single judge decision.

Meanwhile, Puri has sought execution of the decree in her favour. A single judge has issued show cause notice to Gokhale in the matter, asking him why he should not be committed to civil detention for his failure to publish the apology. That matter is listed for hearing in September.

Title: Saket Gokhale v. Lakshmi Puri