Hardeep Puri must clarify his ‘62 email exchanges, 14 meetings’ with Epstein: Congress

The Congress connected Tuesday (February 17, 2026) accused Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri of “lying” connected the contention surrounding the ‘Epstein files’ and asked him to explicate the “62 email exchanges” with convicted American enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein betwixt 2014 and 2017.

The enactment reiterated its request for the Minister’s resignation.

Mr. Puri has denied the Congress’s allegations and said helium had met Epstein connected “a fewer occasions”, and that the meetings were “professional” successful nature.

Addressing a property conference, Congress media and publicity section caput Pawan Khera claimed that determination were 9 meetings unsocial successful 2014 and 14 successful each betwixt 2014 and 2017.  “Between 2014 and 2017, determination were 62 email exchanges betwixt Hardeep Puri and Epstein. Apart from that, what was discussed successful the meetings connected June 5, 6, 8, and 9; September 19, 23, and 24; and October 9 and 10 successful 2014?” Mr. Khera asked.

He claimed that Mr. Puri sent 32 emails portion Epstein wrote 30 and that the meetings took spot soon aft the Narendra Modi authorities assumed bureau successful 2014 and continued till 2017. 

“The question is what presumption did Hardeep Puri clasp successful June 2014, and successful what capableness did helium conscionable Epstein?” Mr. Khera asked.

Referring to a caller interrogation of the Minister, Mr. Khera alleged that helium had told “many lies”. “Why was Hardeep Puri sharing authorities policies with Epstein successful his capableness arsenic a backstage citizen? He should archetypal resign and past clarify this matter,” Mr. Khera said, adding that the Minister had “proven himself incorrect by telling 1 prevarication aft another”.

Mr. Khera besides took a swipe astatine the Centre implicit Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’s scheduled information astatine the ongoing AI Impact Summit successful Delhi, alleging contradictory claims by authorities sources.

“Government sources are saying – Bill Gates volition not travel to the AI Summit, portion Bill Gates himself is saying that I volition travel to the acme and present a speech,” Mr. Khera said. 

While Mr. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by immoderate of Epstein’s victims, records released by the U.S. Justice Department see an allegation by Epstein that Microsoft co-founder had caught a sexually transmitted disease.

Mr. Gates’ spokesperson had termed the assertion “absolutely absurd”.