Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday questioned Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over his alleged meeting with Jeffrey Epstein, after a purported picture of the two was circulated on social media, asking whose message the minister was carrying and whether it was on behalf of PM Modi.
Raut said the issue was being discussed across the country and claimed that more details would emerge.
In a post on X, Raut questioned the purpose of Puri's alleged meeting with Epstein and hinted at possible political repercussions.
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He said, "Modiji, one minister Hardeep Puri is meeting Jeffrey Epstein alone? Whose message is he carrying in the meeting? This is the beginning, Watch ahead to see what's about to happen? @RSSorg regime change will happen! Jai Hind!"
Speaking to reporters, Raut referred to the release of the Epstein files and questioned Puri's earlier statements about his interactions with Epstein, alleging that photographs showed the two together.
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"We haven't just tweeted about this; the matter is being discussed across the entire country. The Epstein files have now been made public. Union Minister Hardeep Puri, a member of the Modi cabinet, had claimed that he never even met Epstein-certainly never in private. However, the U.S. Department of Justice has exposed the truth. Photographs have emerged showing him partying with Epstein; the images also show glasses and other items placed in front of them. What does this actually mean? Why did he meet with Epstein? Whose message was he carrying? Was it a message from Modi ji? You tell me. And such an individual is a minister in Modi ji's government. This is only the beginning; much more is yet to come to light. Just stay tuned," Raut said.
Congress leader Srinivas BV also raised questions over the matter, linking it to the recent visit of the US Secretary of State to Mumbai and discussions surrounding the India-US trade deal.
In his post on X, Srinivas said, "Yesterday, the US Secretary of State landed in 'Mumbai', and right at that very moment, pictures of Hardeep "Epstein" Puri emerged from the US Justice Department's files, Could there be some VIDEO coming out too to settle the technicalities of the US Trade Deal...?
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke also questioned Puri's earlier remarks about his interactions with Epstein.
Sharing a photograph purportedly showing Puri with Epstein, Dipke asked in a post on X, "Didn't Puri claim that he never had a personal meeting with Epstein?"
Earlier this year in February, Hardeep Puri had refuted allegations made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi regarding 'Epstein Files', asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "no connection" with 'Epstein files' and that the claims are "baseless".
Further clarifying his interactions with Epstein, Puri informed that he met Epstein a total of four times in nine years.
"He told me your name is in interesting places. I had sent him a note clarifying that between 2009, when I went to New York, and 2017, I met Epstein a total of 4 times. Four times in 9 years, I was a member of the IPI appointed to see if the UN is fit for purpose on its 75th anniversary. I had no independent meetings with Epstein. The allegations against Epstein are about sexual favour, they are about paedophilia, about other wrongdoings...I have nothing to do with that," Puri had said.