The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday rejected claims circulating from the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files that made references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his official visit to Israel, calling the allegations baseless and “trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal”.
In a statement issued on January 31, the MEA said it had taken note of an email purportedly linked to the Epstein files that mentioned the Prime Minister’s Israel visit. The spokesperson clarified that while Prime Minister Modi did undertake an official visit to Israel in July 2017, all other insinuations in the email were false.
“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 MEA spokesperson said.
The government’s response came amid renewed circulation of documents and emails linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a large-scale disclosure by the US Justice Department. The newly released files have triggered political reactions in India, with Opposition leaders demanding explanations from the government.
According to the Justice Department, the latest release includes over three million pages of documents, along with thousands of videos and images. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the disclosure marked the completion of the Trump administration’s plan to make all Epstein-related files public under a transparency law.
Some of the emails released referred to India and Prime Minister Modi, with Epstein claiming that a meeting between Modi and then US President Donald Trump in June 2017 was linked to the Prime Minister’s subsequent visit to Israel in July that year. In one email dated July 6, 2017, Epstein claimed that the Israel visit had “worked” after Modi allegedly followed advice meant to benefit the US President.
The MEA firmly denied these claims, stating that the reference to Prime Minister Modi in the files related only to his official Israel visit and nothing more.
The emails also included references to Republican strategist Steve Bannon and Indian businessman Anil Ambani. Epstein claimed he would help arrange meetings to strengthen US-India engagement, though the context and authenticity of several claims remain unclear. Ambani’s office did not respond to media queries on the matter.
Opposition leaders criticised the government over the references. Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghosh described the email as “shocking and shameful” and sought clarity from the Centre. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the matter affected India’s national dignity and demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister.
Responding to these allegations, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Congress of misrepresenting the email. “The Congress party has edited the email and added words that do not exist in the original text, making it appear as if the Prime Minister took advice from Jeffrey Epstein,” Patra said, calling it “fraud”.
Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019 and was found dead in his jail cell just over a month later. While multiple investigations concluded that his death was a suicide, the newly released files include internal emails that have again drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding his death.
