SC to hear Rafale review pleas, contempt plea against Rahul on May 10

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on a bunch of review petitions in Rafale deal, saying it will club the review pleas and the contempt case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi's "chowkidar chor hai" remark attributing it to the top court on May 10.

Interestingly, the court's direction came after learning that the hearing in the contempt case against Rahul Gandhi had been segregated and posted for that date.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said: "We are a little perplexed that the two cases (Rahul's contempt and Rafale) have been segregated."

The CJI said the court would certainly want to complete hearing of the review petitions on May 10. The three-judge bench, also comprising Justice K.M. Joseph and S.K. Kaul, insisted that the hearing of both cases should be held together.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to break for summer recess after May 10.

The CJI queried regarding the listing of matters before the court. He said: "How it is possible, this (Rafale review petitions) has come today and the other matter listed on May 10...?"

The CJI emphasised that there was an order to hear both matters together. "Then why it has to come up today?" was the CJI's query.

The petitions in the Rafale case have been filed by former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist-advocate Prashant Bhushan. They are seeking a review of the December 14 verdict of the top court which dismissed the plea seeking probe into alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal.

In its recent affidavit, the Centre opposed the review of the December 14 judgement stating that the Rafale deal has no apparent error.