Settle case out of court: HC to Puri, Gokhale

NEW DELHI: Delhi high court Thursday advised former diplomat Lakshmi Puri and TMC MP Saket Gokhale to settle the dispute over defamatory tweets against Puri, pointing out that "courts are overflooded."

A bench of justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar proposed a meeting to settle the matter after noting that Gokhale had tendered an apology in response to Puri's defamation suit. "You're in public life, respected public figures. Both parties can sit together and try to resolve the dispute. Please take into consideration that courts are already overflooded and burdened," the court told both parties.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Puri, and senior advocate Amit Sibal, appearing for Gokhale, assured the bench they would talk to their clients and consider the court's proposal of settlement. The dispute stems from defamatory tweets posted by Gokhale in June 2021, alleging improprieties in Puri's purchase of property abroad. She is a retired IFS officer.

The bench was hearing Gokhale's appeal against a single judge's order last year restraining him from publishing further on social media or any online platform against Puri. The single judge found Gokhale's tweets defamatory and directed him to apologise to Puri and pay Rs 50 lakh in damages.