Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Apr 23 The Supreme Court Tuesday issued criminal contempt notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his "chowkidar chor" comments on the Rafale judgment, which the apex court had said were "incorrectly attributed" to it.

The top court said it will hear on April 30 the criminal contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi against Gandhi alongside the pending audit request against the December 14, 2018 verdict in the Rafale jet deal.

The top court rejected the plea of Gandhi to close the criminal contempt petition filed by Lekhi.

On hearing senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi on behalf of Gandhi in the contempt petition "we deem it fit to issue notice to the respondent (Rahul) Gandhi," a bench headed by Chief Justcie Ranjan Gogoi said.

"We also direct the registry to list the review request alongside the disdain appeal next Tuesday," the bench also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said.

At the start the seat approached senior promoter Mukul Rohatgi showing up for Lekhi to inform it about the substance of the sworn statement documented by Gandhi in which he had communicated lament over his comments, which he guaranteed, were made in the "warmth of political battling".

The seat looked to know from Rohatgi about substance of the affirmation.

Right now the CJI stated, "We have not perused the testimony. Reveal to us what Rahul Gandhi has said."

Rohatgi said the Congress President has "conceded" that he owned a "wrong statement" identifying with the April 10 decision of the peak court which only had rejected the starter complaints of the Center on suitability of specific records to settle the audit request in the Rafale case.

"Rahul Gandhi said he made the statement in an euphoric manner," Rohatgi said and included that Gandhi had owned the wrong statement without perusing or seeing the April 10 request.

Referring to the affidavit filed by Gandhi on Monday, the senior promoter said "The statement of regret is in a section."

"According to me it is not an apology. Actually a least service of apology," Rohatgi said.

He said the top leader of a primary ideological group is creating an impression that "chowkidar Narendra Modi chor hain" without reading even the request of the apex court.

Questioning the tone and tenor of the affidavit filed by Gandhi, Rohtagi asked how can he make a petty comment on the judgment when he has "so many lawyers at his command".

"There must be some farthest point to cavalier statements," Rohatgi said.

While Rohatgi was making the submission, the bench stated, "We have seen what is there inside the section. In the oath, Gandhi had used the word regret by putting bracket within it while giving explanation to the apex court."

The senior supporter stated, "However Gandhi isn't stating since Supreme Court had said chowkidar chor hai he is as yet proceeding with the articulation in his decision battling."

"Penitence must be communicated at first occasion and unequivocally," he said.

After Rohtagi finished his submission, senior advocate and Congress leader A M Singhvi looked to safeguard Gandhi by telling the court that the BJP leader's counsel should not be allowed to use the apex court's forum as a political pulpit.

Singhvi said the pinnacle court needed a clarification from Gandhi and he has complied with the April 15 direction.

While Singhvi was making submission, the bench stated, "Perhaps notice was not issued on the criminal contempt petition filed by Lekhi."

Though the senior advocate said the court was kind enough not to issue the notice, the bench said it can still issue notice.

"We have neglected to issue notice. We will issue notice," the bench said.

Singhvi proceeded with the argument and said the Prime Minister and the ruling part has been interpreting the apex court December 14, 2018 verdict on Rafale deal as a clean chit given to the government.

Further Singhvi said how can political flogging be allowed to go on.

While Singhvi was making the argument, the bench interrupted and dictated the order.