The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected two petitions filed by Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale seeking recall of the verdict directing him to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, while acknowledging that the Counsel representing Gokhale argued very well, said that the Court could not help him, and dismissed his pleas.
Rejecting Gokhale’s argument that the notice of the suit had gone to some other address, the single-judge Bench noted that his Counsel had appeared before the Court and filed a vakaltnama.
Notice served or not served did not make a difference after the defendant appeared in the matter. It was not incumbent on the court to serve the notice again, noted the High Court.
Questioning the delay in seeking recall of the decree, Justice Kaurav said that on July 2, 2024, Gokhale became aware of the judgment and decree passed. Despite such knowledge, no action was taken till August 19 to challenge the judgment.
Lakshmi Puri is the wife of Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri. In 2021, she sued Gokhale over social media posts alleging that she had purchased certain property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income.
In July 2021, the Court passed an interim order directing Gokhale to remove the tweets and refrain from posting any defamatory content against the Puris.
In the final judgment delivered in July 2024, the High Court directed Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh damages to Lakshmi Puri and also publish an apology in The Times of India newspaper and on his X handle.
Gokhale moved the present application under Order IX Rule 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure, challenging this verdict.
Puri also moved the High Court for the execution of the July 2024 decree. The High Court attached a part of Gokhale’s salary in April 2025.
Puri also filed a contempt of court case against Gokhale for non-compliance of the directions issued in the judgment passed last year.
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