By Staff Reporter | January 31, 2026 | New Delhi - The Indian National Congress on Saturday mounted a sharp political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his name allegedly appeared in emails released as part of the massive Jeffrey Epstein investigative files, demanding an immediate and transparent explanation from the Prime Minister. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded swiftly, dismissing the references as the "trashy ruminations of a convicted criminal."
The Epstein Files Release
The controversy emerged after the U.S. Department of Justice released over 3.5 million pages of documents, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, on January 30, in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in November 2025. The documents are linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.
What the Documents Allegedly Say
Congress drew attention to two documents purportedly from the released files. The first is an email reportedly sent by Epstein on July 9, 2017, to an individual identified only as "Jabor Y." in the documents. The reference to Prime Minister Modi appeared as one item in a numbered list within the email, in which Epstein allegedly wrote that the Indian Prime Minister had taken his advice and performed during his official visit to Israel for the benefit of the then-U.S. President, adding the remark "IT WORKED."
The second document purportedly shows a May 24, 2019 exchange between Epstein and former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon, in which Epstein commented on a meeting with Modi following his landslide victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, noting that India's main adversaries were China and Pakistan.
Congress Demands Accountability
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh called the matter "truly scandalous" and said the Prime Minister's silence on the issue was unacceptable, demanding that Modi clarify his position immediately.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera raised pointed questions, asking what advice the Prime Minister was reportedly seeking from Epstein, why Modi had performed during his Israel visit allegedly for the benefit of a foreign leader, and what exactly "worked" as referenced in the email. Khera framed the issue as one extending far beyond routine political debate, stating that it concerned national dignity and India's standing on the world stage.
The party's official social media account shared the purported documents publicly, labeling the revelations as "extremely shameful."
MEA Firmly Rejects the Claims
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on Saturday evening through spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, acknowledging that an email referencing the Prime Minister's visit to Israel had surfaced in the released documents.
However, the MEA categorically rejected any further implications, stating that beyond the confirmed fact of Modi's official visit to Israel in July 2017, all other references in the email were nothing more than the unfounded speculations of a convicted criminal and deserved to be dismissed entirely.
Important Context
U.S. officials have cautioned that the appearance of a name within the Epstein files does not, by itself, imply wrongdoing or any criminal association with Epstein. Analysts have also noted that the identity of "Jabor Y.," the recipient of the 2017 email, remains unclear, and that several references within the documents are ambiguous — including the mention of "his guy," which does not necessarily refer to anyone connected to the Indian government.
The 2017 visit to Israel was an official state engagement that received wide media coverage at the time and was broadly regarded as a diplomatic success.
The story is developing. Further statements from both Congress and the ruling BJP are expected in the coming hours.
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