Setback in SC to Rahul, issued contempt notice

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 23

In a setback to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to him on a contempt petition by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi for his ‘chowkidar chor hai’ jibe at PM Narendra Modi, wrongly attributed to the court’s recent verdict on admissibility of certain documents in the Rafale case.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, however, said, “Personal presence of the alleged contemnor (Gandhi) is dispensed with, for the present.”

The Bench — which had earlier asked Gandhi to explain his comments — posted it for hearing on April 30 along with petitions filed by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and others seeking review of its December 2018 verdict rejecting a probe into Rafale fighter jet deal.

The notice was issued to the Congress president a day after he expressed regret over his controversial jibe. On behalf of Lekhi, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi pointed out though Gandhi admitted having made a wrong statement, he did not apologise.  “The apology is in a bracket. According to me, it is not an

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