Epstein Files: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has spoken out about the issue that arose after his name was found in the newly disclosed Jeffrey Epstein papers. Puri made it clear that he only saw Epstein three or four times as part of an International Peace Institute (IPI) mission that Terje Rød-Larsen, Puri’s boss at the time, set up. Puri says that these meetings were only for business and were held in official places, such as Epstein’s Manhattan home in 2015, where they talked about things like the Make in India project.
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Criticism from the Opposition and the Political Background
The outcry came after the US Department of Justice released more than three million records relating to Epstein in 2026 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Puri’s name was listed next to people like Anil Ambani. Opposition politicians, like Rahul Gandhi, asked why Puri supposedly asked Epstein for help and pointed out emails from 2014 that linked him to Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, for possible investments in India.
Important Clarifications by Puri
Puri said:He only worked with Epstein on IPI-related projects and never on anything else.
He has nothing to do with Epstein’s claims of sex trafficking or abuse.
There are only a few mentions of him throughout millions of papers, including one email that has nothing to do with any crime.
He told people who were against him to look at the whole picture before making a decision.
The issue has led to a partisan fight, with the BJP supporting Puri and opposition parties calling for more investigation. Analysts say that even if the files reference Puri, the minister’s evident distance from Epstein Files illegal operations is meant to lessen the political damage.
