SC to pronounce verdict on contempt petition against Rahul Gandhi

The Supreme Court will pronounce tomorrow its judgment on a contempt petition filed by BJP lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for wrongly attributing the court while using his infamous "chowkidar chor hai" remark.

Lekhi had accused Gandhi of misquoting the April 10 order of the apex court. He allegedly said that the apex court had accepted that 'chowkidar' (a reference to Prime Minister Modi), is a "chor' (thief).

Pursuant to this, the Supreme Court had issued a contempt notice against Gandhi. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was categorical that Gandhi had to either offer a clear-cut apology or face criminal contempt.

Subsequently, Gandhi tendered an unconditional apology to the top court and sought closure of the contempt proceedings against him.

During the course of proceedings, former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Lekhi, had argued that Gandhi's apology should be rejected and action must be taken against him.

"He (Gandhi) has only expressed regret. The law is clear in contempt cases that the line starts with an unconditional apology," he had submitted before the court.

Besides the contempt case against Rahul Gandhi, the top court will also pass the verdict on a batch of review petitions in the Sabrimala and Rafale case.