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Journalism of Courage
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on a contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, seeking contempt proceedings against Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for allegedly attributing ‘chowkidar chor hai’ remark to the court.
Rahul had on May 8 “unconditionally apologised” to the court for attributing the same and urged the court “to accept the…affidavit and close the present contempt proceedings”.
Appearing for Lekhi, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi told a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph that Rahul had apologised “only after he was cornered by the court”, for expressing only regret in two earlier affidavits filed by him.
Rohatgi said that such an apology was no apology and added that the Congress president had “led the public astray” with his statement.
“The court should ask him to make an apology to the public whom he had led astray”, he said.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented Rahul said “as far as I know, your Lordships don’t corner anyone, but only hear and decide cases”.
He added “I (Rahul Gandhi) have said I meant no disrespect. I expressed regret earlier because I thought it is remorse and same as apology”.
“I express apology for attributing the remarks to the court”, added Singhvi.
Lekhi sought contempt proceedings against Rahul for his alleged remarks on the April 10 verdict of the apex court, regarding the admissibility of certain documents produced by the review petitioners in the Rafale jet case.
After the SC rejected the Centre’s objections to the admissibility of the documents, Rahul Gandhi had said “Supreme
Court ne clear kar diya hai ki chowkidar ji ne chori karwayi (Supreme Court has made it clear that watchman facilitated the theft)”.
