Congress president Rahul Gandhi
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Rafale verdict, which it said were "incorrectly attributed" to it.
Rahul Gandhi admitted yesterday that he had misquoted the Supreme Court after its ruling on the Rafale deal and said he had done it as "rhetorical flourish in the heat of political campaigning", without having seen, read or analysed the order.
The top court said it would hear on April 30 the contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi against Gandhi along with the pending review petition against the December 14, 2018 verdict in the Rafale jet deal.
The top court also rejected Gandhi’s plea to close the contempt petition.
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi moved the apex court seeking action against Gandhi over his 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' rant.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Lekhi, said that the Congress President had exhibited a reckless attitude in making such statements.
A bench headed by Chief Justcie Ranjan Gogoi said, "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.”
"We also direct the registry to list the review petition along with the contempt petition next Tuesday," the bench also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said.
(With inputs from agencies)
