India, Jan. 31 -- India on Saturday dismissed a reference to the Prime Minister in the latest investigative files related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein released by US authorities, describing it as "little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal".

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a brief statement meant to "clarify certain reports", said the government had seen reports of an email message from the so-called Epstein files that contained a reference to the Prime Minister and his visit to Israel.

"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 deser...