New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought an unconditional apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi for attributing “Chowkidar Chor Hai” remark to it and gave him time till the next hearing on Monday to file a fresh affidavit, the third in the case.
It refused to accept a verbal apology by his counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi dubbed Rahul’s two affidavits as “grossest form of contempt,” instead of the unconditional apology that was needed in such cases. When his counsel sought to stress that he has expressed regret which is as good as apology, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi shot back why “regret” within brackets and why not “complete regrets” for the jibe.
The Bench headed by the CJI was hearing a criminal contempt petition of BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, claiming that Rahul had said the court had proved that PM Modi was guilty of corruption in the Rafale case. Singhvi submitted a verbal apology in the court on behalf of Rahul saying, “I have made three errors.
I accept. I wrongly attributed the statements to My Lord. I apologise.” The CJI rapped Rahul over the lack of apology in two affidavits he had filed earlier, after he “wrongly attributed” to the top court a “chowkidar chor hai” remark. “You are contradicting yourself in your affidavits,” the court said, adding that Rahul must accept the mistake he had made.
Singhvi agreed that Rahul will apologise for attributing “Chowkidar chor hai” remark to the Supreme Court after Lekhi’s counsel Mukul Rohatgi wanted rejection of the excuses in Rahul’s two affidavits, pointing out that both were identical. “Somewhere he denies the statement, somewhere he says he had not analysed the court order. He had gone on to justify himself saying multiple statements were made by other leaders also, they why contempt against me.
Regret and all is just lip service,” Rohatgi stressed. Noting that the court was amenable to arguments of Rohatgi, a former attorney general, Singhvi said: “I don’t think there is any deficiency in the affidavits but, if there is, I should be allowed to rectify. I never intended to suggest that the SC endorsed, adopted or supported the political slogan “chowkidar chor hai.” With that, the court allowed Rahul to file another affidavit.