The Delhi High Court ruled that Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale must pay former diplomat Lakshmi Puri Rs 50 lakh in damages. The decision came after Puri filed a defamation lawsuit against Gokhale for tweets he posted in 2021. Gokhale had alleged that Puri’s purchase of a property in Switzerland involved financial impropriety.
Source:- BBC news
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna found Gokhale’s tweets to be defamatory and ruled that they lacked a factual basis. The court emphasized the importance of responsible speech, especially from public figures, and noted that Gokhale’s accusations were damaging to Puri’s reputation and career. The verdict underscores the judiciary’s stance on protecting individuals from baseless allegations in the age of social media.
Source:- India today
Puri, who served as an Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations and was India’s Ambassador to Hungary, welcomed the judgment, asserting that it reaffirmed her integrity and the need for accountability in public discourse. Gokhale, a vocal critic of the government, and a transparency activist, faced scrutiny for his claims, leading to this significant legal outcome.
This case highlights the delicate balance between freedom of expression and the right to protect one’s reputation against unfounded public accusations.
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