Delhi High Court Orders TMC MP Saket Gokhale to Issue Public Apology in Defamation Case Filed by Ex-Diplomat Lakshmi Puri [Read Order]

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Saket Gokhale to publish an apology following a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, rejecting his request to submit the apology in a sealed cover.

Justice Anish Dayal issued the order while hearing a contempt case against Gokhale for allegedly willful disobedience of the Court’s judgment dated July 1, 2024, in a defamation suit (CS(OS) 300/2021).

Saket Gokhale Held in Contempt for Delaying Apology in Defamation Suit

The Court noted that “more than ten months have passed and till date there is no order that they have secured from the Court which would impede the compliance of the judgment/decree dated 01st July 2024.”

Gokhale’s counsel, Mr. Amarjit Singh Bedi, had proposed submitting an apology in a sealed cover, to be published later depending on the outcome of a potential appeal against the dismissal of their application under Order IX Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure Code. The Court, however, rejected this proposal, directing that “the apology as directed by the judgment/decree shall be published within the next two weeks, in the manner decreed.”

Delhi High Court Rejects Sealed Cover Plea in TMC MP’s Defamation Case

The Court further noted that Gokhale had not challenged the original decree within the statutory period. He later filed an application under Order IX Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure Code in January 2025, along with an application for condonation of delay explaining the reasons. The condonation application was dismissed by a Coordinate Bench of the Delhi High Court through a detailed judgment dated May 2, 2025. The Court observed that the respondent “has simply tarried, lingered and procrastinated, but still not complied with the judgment/decree.”

During the proceedings, the Court also expressed surprise at the “callous manner” in which its previous directions were treated—particularly regarding a medical excuse for non-appearance at an earlier hearing, where Gokhale’s counsel only provided booking details of a COVID test without the actual report.

Regarding the damages awarded in the defamation case, the Court acknowledged that they had been secured through an attachment order in Execution Petition No.112/2024 dated April 24, 2025, though the petitioner’s counsel contended that the attachment only covered Gokhale’s salary and not his various undisclosed accounts.

The case has been listed for further hearing on September 12, 2025, to address other aspects related to willful non-compliance.

Mr. Maninder Singh, learned Senior Advocate, along with Ms. Meghna Mishra, Ms. Palak Sharma, Mr. Shreyansh Rathi, Mr. R. Mohan, and Mr. Amarpal Singh, Advocates, appeared on behalf of the petitioner.

On the other hand, Mr. Amarjit Singh Bedi and Mr. Harsha Vinoy, learned counsel, appeared for the respondent, Mr. Saket Gokhale, who was also present in person.

Case Title: Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri vs. Saket Gokhale

[Read Order]