New Delhi: Hours after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi raised the problem of Hardeep Singh Puri’s identify being included within the Epstein recordsdata, the Union minister stated in a press convention on Wednesday that the 2 had “minimal interactions” and solely as a part of a delegation.
Mr Puri stated he had met Mr Epstein “three or 4 occasions” over eight years, all as a part of official delegations related to the Worldwide Peace Institute (IPI), and that their interactions had “nothing to do with the accusations in opposition to Mr Epstein”.
Convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein died in a Manhattan jail on August 10, 2019 whereas awaiting trial on prices of intercourse trafficking of minors.
Mr. Puri careworn that his assembly with Mr. Epstein was restricted and strictly inside the framework of inner interactions, and accused Mr. Gandhi of constructing baseless claims. He claimed that they met three or 4 occasions and solely exchanged one electronic mail.
Talking outdoors parliament earlier within the day, Mr Gandhi urged that the “strain” he placed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conform to an interim commerce deal between India and the US might be linked to “the US Division of Justice submitting wherein Mr Epstein named Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani”.
Puri informed a press convention that his identify was talked about in reference to developments in different areas through the ongoing parliamentary funds committee. He referred to the gradual launch of the Epstein recordsdata by the U.S. Division of Justice, saying 3 million emails have been launched protecting the interval from Could 2009, when Puri was posted to New York as India’s ambassador to the United Nations, to when he turned a cupboard minister in 2017.
“Throughout this era, there have been solely three or 4 conferences talked about and my interactions have been fully skilled,” Hardeep Puri stated. “Out of three million emails, solely 3-4 have been referenced…I met with Mr. Epstein a number of occasions as a part of the delegation (and) we exchanged just one electronic mail. ”
“Our interplay had nothing to do with it (the crime he’s accused of),” he stated, including that they mentioned ‘Make in India’.
Puri additionally stated this.I used to be invited to affix the Worldwide Peace Analysis Institute…My interactions[with Epstein]have been skilled and associated to the Unbiased Fee on Multilateralism (ICM), which was chaired by a former Australian Prime Minister and of which I used to be Secretary-Basic. My boss at IPI, Terje Rod Larsen, knew Epstein and I solely met him just a few occasions as a part of a delegation, three or at most 4 occasions to be actual. ”
“Our correspondence had nothing to do with (the costs in opposition to Epstein),” he stated.
The Minister of Petroleum and Pure Fuel additionally stated he was not involved with Mr. Epstein’s actions. “I wasn’t the ‘proper man’ for them… Epstein referred to as me two-faced. Rahul ought to learn the emails.”
Requested about their subsequent interactions with Epstein, who was convicted as a intercourse offender in 2008, Puri reiterated that their interactions have been “minimal.”
“In 2008, he pleaded responsible to soliciting the favors of an underage feminine. That was it. The remainder of these tales turned recognized a lot later. However imagine me, many people had doubts about them. TThat’s why folks like us left,” he stated.
Mr. Puri continued: “He (Mr. Epstein) was a really distinguished determine in New York society. Half the world who interacted with him had no clue about his previous. Now we have to face folks whereas they’re nonetheless alive. I used to be despatched to Colombo to barter with a younger first secretary named Velupillai Prabhakaran, who was the top of the LTTE.” Simply because I used to be negotiating with Prabhakaran, the top of the LTTE and later claimed to be answerable for the assassination of our Prime Minister, makes me share the values of terrorists. ”
Concerning his first encounter with Mr. Epstein, Mr. Puri stated, “I can actually say that the primary time I met him, I used to be ambushed. I used to be ambushed. Somebody informed me that my boss needed to take you and the chairman and different members of the board to dinner. I discussed my first assembly with Mr. Epstein.” So the place am I? he stated. He stated he would not give me his handle as a result of if I knew it, I won’t be capable to go there. ”
Puri accused Chief of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Gandhi that the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) was planning to file a privilege discover in opposition to the Congress chief.
“Now we have a younger chief who raised sure points in Parliament immediately. He has a behavior of constructing baseless allegations,” Puri stated. Final month, Congress sought clarification from Mr. Modi after his identify appeared in Epstein’s recordsdata. The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) dismissed the reference as “a frivolous rumination by a convicted felony”.
(Edited by Amrutanshu Arora)
Additionally learn: From Royalty to Republican Get together—Epstein Recordsdata uncovered fault strains all through energy circles
