India dismisses ‘baseless’ claims over Modi reference in Epstein files

The Indian government has firmly rejected what it described as “baseless” claims after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name appeared as a reference in newly released documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, published by the US Department of Justice.

According to NDTV, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that aside from a factual reference to the prime minister’s official visit to Israel in 2017, other insinuations in the documents are without merit.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government had seen reports regarding an email in the so-called Epstein files that mentioned the prime minister and his Israel visit.

“Except for the fact of the prime minister’s official visit to Israel in July 2017, the remaining references are nothing more than the reprehensible ramblings of a convicted criminal,” Jaiswal said. “They deserve to be dismissed with the utmost contempt.”

Prime Minister Modi’s July 2017 visit to Israel was historic, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister since India and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1992. The trip significantly strengthened bilateral cooperation in defence, strategic affairs and technology.

New Delhi’s response came within hours of the US Justice Department releasing a large tranche of Epstein-related investigative material under newly enacted transparency laws. The disclosures aim to shed light on what US authorities knew about Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors and his contacts with influential individuals.

US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the latest release includes more than three million pages of documents, over 2,000 videos, and nearly 180,000 images, some of which were not part of earlier disclosures made in December.

The release is mandated under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed amid mounting political and public pressure in the United States. The law also requires the disclosure of records related to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime assocFiles

Epstein was found dead in a New York jail in August 2019, a month after being charged with federal sex trafficking offences. His death was officially ruled a suicide.

Indian officials reiterated that the mention of the prime minister’s name in the documents constitutes no implication of wrongdoing, stressing that beyond the reference to the 2017 diplomatic visit, the claims are unfounded.