Court orders removal of defamatory content associating Ms. Himayani Puri with Epstein, citing potential irreparable harm to her professional reputation
In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court, presided over by Justice Mini Pushkarna, has issued an interim injunction in favor of Ms. Himayani Puri, a distinguished finance and investment management professional, in a defamation case linking her to the infamous Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The court restrained the defendants from publishing or disseminating defamatory content that falsely associates Ms. Puri with the convicted criminal, Jeffrey Epstein.
The plaintiff, Ms. Himayani Puri, argued that a coordinated and malicious campaign had been launched against her following the release of millions of documents related to Epstein. This campaign falsely portrayed her as being involved in illicit financial transactions and unethical conduct. The court noted that Ms. Puri's professional reputation, built over three decades in the highly competitive financial industry, was at risk of irreparable harm.
In the judgment delivered on March 17, 2026, the court found a prima facie case in favor of the plaintiff. Justice Pushkarna ruled that the balance of convenience was tilted towards Ms. Puri, and continuing the dissemination of the defamatory content would cause her significant harm. The court directed the defendants, including content creators, journalists, and social media platforms, to take down the defamatory material within 24 hours.
Moreover, the court addressed the global aspect of content dissemination, aligning with the judgment in "Swami Ramdev v. Facebook, Inc.," emphasizing that content uploaded from India should be globally disabled. However, content uploaded from outside India should be geo-blocked within the Indian domain.
The court's order mandates that defendants must comply with these directives within the Indian jurisdiction, and any URLs found containing similar defamatory content must be promptly acted upon. The case is scheduled for further proceedings in May and August 2026, where the court will review compliance with its orders.
Bottom Line:
Defamation - Plaintiff's reputation being tarnished due to defamatory content associating her with Jeffrey Epstein - Court grants interim injunction restraining defendants from publishing, republishing, or disseminating defamatory content.
Statutory provision(s): Civil Procedure Code, 1908 Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2, Section 151 of the CPC, Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018, Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872
Ms Himayani Puri v. Mr. Kunal Shukla, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc id # 2867687
