The Union government on Saturday (January 31, 2026) denied the contents of newly released emails from the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump had played a role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel in 2017, referring to the mails as “trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal”.
In more than a dozen mails and phone messages released by the U.S. government on Friday (January 30, 2026), Epstein referred to India and Mr. Modi, expressing a desire to enhance U.S.-India engagement. He also claimed he would set up a meeting with the Prime Minister for Republican strategist and Mr. Trump associate Steve Bannon, shortly after the 2019 general election. Epstein also appeared to be engaged in correspondence with Indian businessman Anil Ambani about many of these issues.
The Opposition called for an explanation from the government regarding the allegations, terming them a “national shame”.
‘Trashy ruminations’
Epstein had linked a Modi-Trump meeting on June 25 and 26, 2017 to the PM’s subsequent Israel visit from July 4 to 6 that same year, claiming that the Israel visit had “worked” because Mr. Modi had followed the advice of the U.S. President.
“We have seen reports of an email message from the so-called Epstein files that has a reference to the Prime Minister and his visit to Israel,” the MEA spokesperson said in a statement issued on Saturday. “Beyond the fact of the Prime Minister’s official visit to Israel in July 2017, the rest of the allusions in the email are little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal, which deserve to be dismissed with the utmost contempt,” the spokesperson added.
The timing of the emails is significant as the Prime Minister is expected to make his second visit to Israel at the end of February.
From Puri to Epstein
The emails were part of about three million pages released by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of its investigation into Mr. Epstein’s paedophilic ring and influence operations.
They included an email from Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri to Epstein in November 2014, detailing reasons why it would be important to engage with India after Mr. Modi’s election. Mr. Puri did not deny sending the email, but neither he nor the MEA commented on it.
Mr. Puri retired from the Indian Foreign Service as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2013. At the time the email was sent, he was working with the International Peace Institute, and although he was not in the government, he was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In response to previous emails released in November 2025 that detailed correspondence and meetings between Mr. Puri and Epstein, BJP spokespersons had called Epstein’s claims “bogus” and “drunk bragging on mail”.
‘Shocking and shameful’
The MEA’s statement came in response to questions about a specific email sent by Epstein on July 6, 2017, purportedly advising an influential Qatari person by the name “Jabor Y”, who is reportedly close to the Qatari royal family, on being more vocal against terrorism, presumably in the context of Israel and Hamas.
“The Indian Prime Minister Modi took advice and danced and sang in Israel for the benefit of the US president. They had met a few weeks ago.. it worked ! (sic),” Epstein said in the mail sent on the day Mr. Modi’s visit to Israel ended.
TMC MP Sagarika Ghosh called the email “shocking and shameful”, calling on the government to provide “clarity”.
‘PM Modi on board’
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also demanded clarifications on two other emails dated May 24, 2019, the day that Mr. Modi was sworn in for his second term, from Epstein to Mr. Bannon and to Mr. Ambani.
In the emails, Epstein told Mr. Ambani that “Mr. Modi might enjoy meeting Steve Bannon.” Epstein also told Mr. Bannon that he had a “really interesting Mr. Modi meeting” without explaining whom exactly he met. “[PM Modi] won with a huge mandate. His guy said that no one in [Washington] speaks to him,” he said, adding that India’s “main enemy” is China and “[China’s] proxy Pakistan.” In another message, he added: “Mr. Modi on board.”
Mr. Ambani’s office did not respond to queries from The Hindu about the emails.
‘Congress fraud’
Responding to the Congress party’s remarks on the Epstein email that mentioned the Prime Minister, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Opposition party of fraud.
“An email from this person, Jeffrey Epstein, where he is talking to someone else — both individuals are of questionable character, and we don’t know much about them — that email has been edited by the Congress party. In that email, where the word ‘his’ is not present, the Congress party has tried to add ‘his advice’, making it appear as if Prime Minister Narendra Modi took advice from Jeffrey Epstein. It’s not even in the email, but the Congress party has edited it, committed fraud, and added the word ‘his’,” Mr. Patra said.
“The PM is mentioned several times in the latest instalment of the Epstein files released by the US Govt. The Official Spokesperson has been compelled to respond. But many questions do remain,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post.
Published – January 31, 2026 08:54 pm IST
