Epstein Files:The recent release of unsealed Jeffrey Epstein-related documents in the United States has led to political exchanges in India after two emails authored by Epstein made casual references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The mentions prompted questions from the Congress party, while the central government firmly rejected any implications arising from the documents.
Emails Mentioning PM Modi
According to the released material, the first reference appears in a July 9, 2017, email written by Epstein following Prime Minister Modi’s official visit to Israel earlier that month. In the email, Epstein made claims suggesting that Modi had acted on his advice during the visit. The email did not provide any evidence to support these assertions.
DON'T MISS
A second reference appears in an email exchange dated May 24, 2019, a day after the Indian general election results. In this exchange, Epstein discussed Prime Minister Modi’s electoral victory and proposed arranging a meeting with former US political strategist Steve Bannon. Available reports indicate that no such meeting ever took place.
Congress Raises Questions
The Congress party cited these two emails to seek clarification from the Prime Minister. Party leaders raised questions regarding the claims made in the 2017 email and the context of the 2019 exchange, stating that the references required an explanation in the interest of public accountability.
Congress representatives shared excerpts from the documents on social media and described the issue as a matter of political propriety, despite acknowledging that the documents do not contain evidence of wrongdoing.
Government Rejects Allegations
India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded by dismissing the references outright. In its statement, the ministry described the emails as “trashy ruminations of a convicted criminal” and said they had no factual basis.
The MEA clarified that the documents reflected only Epstein’s personal claims and did not establish any interaction, meeting, or association involving the Prime Minister. The ministry reiterated that the references were misleading and should not be given credibility.
Political Exchange Continues
The Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress of amplifying unverified material for political reasons, while maintaining that the government’s position was clear and unequivocal.
