Rahul Gandhi’s Lawyer Tells SC No Criminal Contempt Notice Received, CJI Says ‘Can Cure That Defect Right Away’

Marking a major setback for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the Supreme Court of India (SC) on Tuesday (23 April) issued a contempt notice to Gandhi, given the court was unsatisfied by his affidavit on the issue of him attributing his remark of 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' unfoundedly on the court's Rafale verdict.

As per reports, when Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the apex court that no offcial notice was issued in the matter, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi commented that, “ We can cure that defect right away by using notice of contempt against you”.

To this, Singhvi was left scrambling for a reply and only managed something to the tune of “no, no”.

In his affidavit filed with the top court yesterday (22 April), Gandhi had expressed regret for attributing his statement 'Chowkidar chor hai' to the apex court. In the court Gandhi was represented by senior advocate and Congress leader, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, reports Economic Times.

The Congress president was responding to a Court notice on a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Meenakshi Lekhi alleging that Gandhi has attributed his personal remarks to the top court and tried to create prejudice for political benefits.

In a 26-page affidavit to SC, Rahul Gandhi had said: "My statement was made in the heat of political campaigning. It has been used (and misused) by my political opponents to project that I had deliberately and intentionally suggested that this Court had said 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'. Nothing could be farther from my mind."

Meanwhile, having issued a contempt notice to Gandhi, the court said that it will hear the criminal contempt petition against Gandhi on 30 April.