Epstein Files row: Govt’s internal review finds no wrongdoing by Hardeep Singh Puri, says sources

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

The Union government has conducted an internal review after Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s name appeared in documents linked to the so-called Epstein Files, with sources saying no evidence of wrongdoing has been found.

According to government sources cited by CNN-News18, the matter was examined at an internal level and Puri’s version was recorded in detail during the process. Based on the preliminary findings, the government is satisfied that no objectionable or criminal involvement has emerged against the minister.

The “Epstein Files” refer to thousands of pages of documents related to criminal investigations into sex trafficking by financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The documents include travel logs, emails and other records that have drawn global attention since Epstein died in custody in 2019.

Puri’s name features in the publicly released documents, with references largely tied to his earlier diplomatic tenure and his association with the International Peace Institute in New York.

Responding to the controversy, the Union minister said his interaction with Epstein was limited and professional in nature. He stated that he had met Epstein on a "few occasions" and that his interactions were confined to professional meetings and email exchanges related to multilateral and institutional work. He maintained that these contacts had nothing to do with the crimes for which Epstein was investigated and later convicted.

Government sources indicated that the internal scrutiny was undertaken after the issue surfaced in public discourse, and that the matter has, for now, been closed at the official level.