The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale’s application seeking recall of an ex parte judgment directing him to pay ₹50 lakh in damages and issue a public apology to Lakshmi Puri, former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, in a defamation suit.

During the hearing, Gokhale’s counsel urged Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav to adopt a “liberal approach” and conveyed that the MP does not currently have the financial means to pay the damages.

“If the order is not set aside, he’ll have to pay ₹50 lakh and tender an apology. He doesn’t have the funds today, so if there's a possibility of settlement without any payment...”

However, the offer was firmly rejected by Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Puri.

Gokhale has also sought condonation of delay in filing his recall application. His counsel submitted that he was unaware of the earlier proceedings due to his previous advocate ceasing to appear in the matter post-March 2022, without notifying him. It was argued that Gokhale, who has been facing multiple criminal cases in Gujarat and required to appear in court frequently, presumed that the defamation case was being handled.

In addition, Gokhale’s counsel cited financial hardship and pointed to his income tax returns to explain the delay, claiming he could not afford legal representation earlier.

On the other hand, Puri’s counsel strongly opposed the plea, arguing that Gokhale’s excuses were unconvincing. Singh emphasized that Gokhale is “internet savvy,” had virtual access to the court’s proceedings, and all relevant orders were available on the Delhi High Court website. He asserted that Gokhale was fully aware of the 2023 judgment and was now trying to evade its consequences.

In December 2023, Puri had moved a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with the July 2023 judgment, seeking its execution. Gokhale was thereafter directed to disclose his assets, properties, and bank accounts in an affidavit. That matter is still pending before a coordinate bench.

The defamation suit was initiated in 2021 after Gokhale posted a series of tweets about a property purchased by Puri in Switzerland, raising questions about her and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s assets. He had also tagged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought an ED inquiry.

The High Court, in its July 2023 order, held the tweets to be defamatory, quoting Othello to underline the reputational harm caused. The court directed Gokhale to publish an apology in The Times of India and on his Twitter account, where it must remain pinned for six months. The court had earlier granted an interim injunction in July 2021, asking Gokhale to take down the tweets within 24 hours and restraining him from making further defamatory statements.