[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Supreme Court today clarified that it had never made the remark “Chowkidar hi Chor Hain”, while at the same time seeking an explanation from Congress President Rahul Gandhi in connection with a criminal contempt petition filed against him by advocate Meenakshi Lekh for attributing the remark to the Apex Court.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi clarified that its April 10 judgement was solely on the legal question of the admissibility of certain documents relating to the Rafale case as evidence, which the Attorney General of India, K K Venugopal had objected to.
The Court asked Rahul Gandhi to file his reply before the next day of the hearing on April 22, 2019.
Background of the case
On April 10, 2019, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi refused the Central Government’s plea to keep the Rafael jet purchase documents a secret. A petition had been filed before the Court, seeking a review of its earlier judgement, delivered on December 14, 2018, relating to the aircraft deal.
Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi filed a criminal contempt petition against the Congress President in the Supreme Court on April 12, 2019, for deliberately misrepresenting the April 10 judgement and claiming that the Supreme Court had in its verdict said: “Chowkidar hi chor hai”.She was represented by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi.
Read the Order.
[pdfviewer]https://cdn.theleaflet.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/15175538/SC-Order_Rahul-Gandhi.pdf[/pdfviewer]
