New Delhi, July 1 (IANS): Delhi High Court on Monday directed Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, the wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The defamation suit was filed following Gokhale’s successive Tweets accusing Puri of purchasing property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. He also named Hardeep Puri in the tweets.

According to a statement issued by Karanjawala & Company, the solicitor farm representing Puri, Gokhale has been restrained from publishing further defamatory content against the plaintiff.

The court held that the plaintiff has suffered irreparable harm on account of Gokhale's defamatory statements. It also directed Gokhale to publish an apology to the former diplomat in The Times of India and on the X handle from which he had posted the alleged tweets within a month, adding that the apology on Gokhale's X handle must remain for six months.

Reacting to the development, Lakshmi Puri said in a post on X: “This is what Justice feels like! Grateful and vindicated! Not only for myself, my husband @HardeepSPuri, my family and friends, but on behalf of all those who have been victims of such calumnious attacks on social media! From now on, there is accountability for making false and damaging allegations against anyone!”