Congress Rejects Claims Linking Kapil Sibal to Epstein Files, Calls Allegations ‘False Narrative’

In a statement posted on X, Khera said the material being cited is a 59-page calendar listing public events, conferences, and fundraisers held in New York. According to him, Sibal’s name appears in connection with an event honouring his contribution to global education cooperation and has no link to Epstein or his activities. Khera stressed that there is no record of any meeting or personal interaction between Sibal and the financier.

The controversy began after BJP spokespersons Pradeep Bhandari and Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that an institution which once received donations from Epstein had honoured Sibal, and called for clarification from the Congress. Responding to the claims, Khera said the donations in question were made between 2002 and 2006, several years before Sibal received the recognition in 2010, and accused political opponents of circulating screenshots without reviewing full records.

The debate intensified after Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated earlier this month that he had met Epstein three or four times during his tenure as India’s ambassador to the United Nations, describing the interactions as strictly professional and related to multilateral initiatives. Puri rejected suggestions of any connection to Epstein’s criminal activities, saying documentary records from millions of official emails show only those limited meetings.

Epstein, once a wealthy and influential financier with high-profile contacts, was first accused in 2005 of sexually abusing a minor. He was convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor and served 13 months in jail. Arrested again in 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges, he died in custody before trial. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted for her role in the abuse network.

Political analysts say the dispute reflects intensifying partisan clashes ahead of upcoming electoral cycles, with both sides using document interpretations to question each other’s credibility. While the claims remain contested, legal experts note that inclusion of a name in event listings does not by itself establish association or wrongdoing. The issue is likely to persist in political discourse as parties continue to trade allegations and counterclaims.