SC issues contempt notice to Rahul Gandhi over #ChowkidarChorHai comment
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a formal contempt notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi for attributing his Chowkidar chor hai comment to the top court's 10 April judgment. On Monday, Rahul admitted that he had misquoted the apex court on its Rafale order. On 10 April, the SC upheld the maintainability of the review petitions in the Rafale deal case. Here's more.
No reprieve
No reprieve even after Rahul admitted to misquoting SC's order
Even after expressing regret and admitting to misquoting the SC's order, Rahul didn't get a reprieve from the court. The court asked the Congress chief to explain by next Tuesday as to why he shouldn't be held in contempt for claiming that the SC had endorsed his political attack on PM Narendra Modi. However, he need not appear in person to submit the response.
Affidavit
Misquoted the SC in the heat of political campaigning: Rahul
Earlier on Monday, Rahul filed an affidavit saying he had misquoted the SC as "rhetorical flourish in the heat of political campaigning" without seeing, reading, or analyzing the court's order. On Rahul's behalf, Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi requested the case be closed. But former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, on BJP's behalf, objected to the request.
The bench
Will cure it by issuing notice: Court to Singhvi
Singhvi pointed out that the SC didn't issue a notice to his client, Rahul, but only sought an explanation. To this, the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench responded, "You are pointing out we have forgotten to issue notice. We will cure it by issuing notice." The SC had sought an explanation in the previous hearing before taking up the BJP's contempt petition against Rahul.
Details
SC to take up the case next Tuesday
The top court will now take up the matter next Tuesday along with Rafale review petitions. The SC, on April 10, ruled that classified documents of the Defense Ministry can be used as evidence for considering requests to review the court's clean chit to the government in the case. Welcoming the order, Rahul targeted PM Modi using the Chowkidar slogan, misquoting the SC's order.