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When you make a mistake, admit it: Supreme Court to Rahul Gandhi

Rahul had filed two identical affidavits in response to the contempt plea filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, in which he maintained that his comments of April 10 were made without seeing the order which concerned admissibility of documents in the review petitions on the Rafale Jet deal.

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No amount of justification could get Congress President Rahul Gandhi off the hook and he ultimately had to agreed to tender an unconditional apology for attributing the remark "Chowkidar chor hai" to the Supreme Court.

"When you make a mistake, admit that you made a mistake," said the Bench by way of greeting Rahul's counsel, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, as he warmed up to argue for his client. "You are making a statement and justifying it. In the entire affidavit, there is no word that (indicates) you have complete regret. On the other hand, you are contradicting your own statement. If you start your arguments on this affidavit, don't turn around and say I want to file a fresh affidavit."

Offering this clarification orally, Singhvi assured that it was never the intention of his client to drag the court into the political arena. "I shall file a new affidavit. I will express regret and apologize for attributing these words to the Court," he said, assuring that a fresh affidavit will be filed before the next date of hearing. i.e. May 10.

Rahul had filed two identical affidavits in response to the contempt plea filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, in which he maintained that his comments of April 10 were made without seeing the order which concerned admissibility of documents in the review petitions on the Rafale Jet deal.

Finding the affidavit wholly unsatisfactory, the bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph failed to see any intent on part of Rahul to express regret. Instead, the court was incensed to note the justification that this statement formed part of his political belief. "Whatever is your political stand, keep it to yourself," the Bench said. "We are not concerned with it. We are only concerned with your statement being attributed to the Court."

Singhvi accepted that his client had made three errors: Stating what was never said by Court, mixing what was said by the court with his political slogan, and knowing fully well that the words attributed to the court could never be used or spoken by any court or judicial forum.

Lekhi's lawyer, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, read out portions from the affidavit to show that in the garb of contrition, Rahul was adding insult to injury by justifying his remarks. Rohatgi referred to statements quoted in the affidavit of other political leaders have commented similarly on the SC verdict. Singhvi argued the Court that Rahul has expressed regret and this essentially means an apology.

Referring to the word 'Regret' in parenthesis, the Bench asked, "What is the meaning of expression of 'regret' within brackets. We have great difficulty in understanding your affidavit." The Bench unequivocally said that this matter ought to have ended with an apology but is being unnecessarily dragged on. It added that whether to accept Rahul's fresh affidavit will be considered on May 10.

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