Hyderabad: The Supreme Court will pronounce the verdict on Rahul Gandhi's contempt case on Thursday morning. The apex court will deliver the verdict after Rahul Gandhi tendered an apology over attributing the comment, 'Chowkidar Chor hai' over the Rafale Controversy to the Supreme Court during election campaigning earlier this year.
An SC bench headed by the CJI, Ranjan Gogoi had reserved the verdict after BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi filed a 'criminal contempt petition' against the former Congress President.
Earlier, Gandhi had accepted that the comment was made in the heat of campaigning. His apology came after the SC sought an explanation over him attributing the remark to the apex court.
The SC later issued a notice to Gandhi in connection to the contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi against him over the Rafale controversy.
The apex court had directed to allow 'leaked' Rafale documents by the Ministry of defense (MoD) to be taken into record and examined, following which Gandhi made the statement claiming that the SC's move clearly states that PM Modi had 'committed theft'.
Gandhi's exact words read, "The SC has made it clear that Chowkidarji has committed a theft." Gandhi's explanation filed in the court read that there was no "slightest intention to insinuate" any view regarding the Supreme Court proceedings in any manner.
The SC had later issued a clarification saying that the court had made no such observation regarding PM Modi over the Rafale jet deal controversy.
As for the petition, Lekhi pleaded that the former Congress President had made a deliberate attempt to taint the PM's image in front of the public eye. She said that Gandhi has misinterpreted the court's April 10 order wherein the Court allows 'leaked' documents of Rafale to be examined.
Post Gandhi's public comments, a BJP delegation had also approached the EC over the remarks against Modi on the Rafale deal. Gandhi was also accused of putting his own words through the top Court's.
At present, Gandhi is being represented by senior advocate, Abhishek Singhvi. 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.
