Rahul Gandhi files fresh reply in SC on contempt notice

Congress President Rahul Gandhi filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday after it issued him a contempt notice for his remarks on the Rafale case verdict and expressed regret again for attributing the "chowkidar chor hai" remarks to the apex court.

Gandhi also sought dismissal of the contempt petition filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, saying it was an abuse of the process of the court.

In his counter affidavit, Gandhi expressed regret for the "chowkidar chor hai" remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while referring to the Rafale judgment.

"It is also clear that no court would ever do that and hence the unfortunate references (for which I express regret) to the court order and to the political slogan in juxtaposition the same breath in the heat of political campaigning was ought not to be construed as suggesting that the court had given any finding or conclusion on that issue," he said in his affidavit.

The apex court had on April 23 issued notice to him on the criminal contempt petition.

In his affidavit, Gandhi said he did not have the slightest or remotest intention to bring the court into political arena, or bring it into disrepute by attributing something which the court had not said.

"At the outset, it is clarified that the answering respondent (Gandhi) did not have the slightest or remotest intention, desire or even thought process to bring the court into the political arena, or bring it into disrepute or attribute to it deliberately or wilfully that which the court has not said or meant," he said
"It is also noteworthy that the Rafale issue which had been and continues to be one of the most prominent political and social issues in this country for many months and despite the matter being sub judice it has been the subject of incessant discussion in civil society and the media."