The Supreme Court on Monday (15 April) issued a notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi seeking explanation from him on a criminal contempt petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Meenakshi Lekhi.

In the petition, Lekhi had sought contempt action against Congress chief for allegedly attributing to the top court his own remarks on the Rafale verdict and trying to create prejudice.

Appearing for Meenakshi Lekhi, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi told the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench that Congress president made a remark that the "Supreme Court has said, chowkidaar chor hai" in the verdict in Rafale review delivered on 10 April, Live Law has reported.

The bench, while considering the petition today (15 April), observed that it had “no occasion” to make any comments as attributed by Gandhi and that the judgement was solely on the legal question of admissibility of documents produced by review petitioners.

The apex court has asked the Congress chief to file his reply by 22 April, which has been fixed as the next date for hearing in the matter.

According to a Firstpost report, after filing his nomination for Amethi Lok Sabha seat on 10 April, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that the apex court has "made it clear" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "committed a theft".

"Now the Supreme Court has made it clear that 'chowkidarji' has committed a theft," he had said, adding that the bench has "accepted that there is some corruption in Rafale".