The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to Himayani Puri, directing the immediate removal of online content that links her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The court observed that a prima facie case had been made in her favour and ordered that all such “impugned content” be taken down without delay.
The bench stated that if the content is not removed voluntarily, intermediary platforms must ensure its removal within 24 hours. However, the court clarified that this direction currently applies only to content accessible within India. It also issued notices to the defendants, including social media platforms, asking them to file their responses within two weeks.
In its observations, the court noted that the balance of convenience lies with the petitioner and that the matter requires detailed examination. It emphasised that immediate relief was necessary to prevent further reputational harm while the case is being heard.
Appearing for Himayani Puri, her counsel argued that the allegations were false and part of a coordinated attempt to damage her reputation. It was submitted that there was no factual basis linking her to Epstein and that the claims were motivated, possibly due to her being the daughter of a Union minister. The counsel also pointed out that specific URLs had been identified and action was being sought against them.
The petition highlighted that Puri, who resides in New York and works in the financial sector, has suffered reputational damage internationally. Her legal team sought broader relief, including a global takedown of the content, arguing that the impact of the allegations extended beyond India.
However, opposing counsel raised concerns about jurisdiction. Senior advocate Arvind Datar submitted that the issue of global takedown orders is already under consideration before a division bench and that, for now, removal could only be enforced within India.
Representatives of social media platforms, including Meta, also questioned whether an Indian court could mandate a worldwide removal of content. They argued that global enforcement raises complex legal and jurisdictional issues, especially for multinational platforms.
Counsel representing some journalists contended that certain posts and videos were part of broader reporting related to Epstein and should be protected under the principles of journalistic freedom. They argued that some content merely raised questions based on publicly available information.
While granting interim relief, the court kept the issue of a global takedown open for future consideration. It indicated that a decision on this aspect would be taken after hearing all parties. For now, the focus remains on removing the contested content within India as the case proceeds.
