'Chowkidar' comment: SC issues contempt notice to Rahul Gandhi

Matter posted along with Rafale review on April 30

Rahul Modi collage PTI A collage of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi | PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Rafale judgment, which the apex court had said were "incorrectly attributed" to it.

The top court said it will hear on April 30 the criminal 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.

READ: Rahul Gandhi expresses regret in SC over Rafale comments


On Tuesday, appearing for Lekhi, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, submitted that Rahul Gandhi had not offered any apology for the remark, reported LiveLaw.

The top court rejected the plea of Gandhi to close the criminal contempt petition filed by Lekhi.

"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," a bench headed by Chief Justcie Ranjan Gogoi said.

"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 PTI inputs)