Amit Shah scorches 'malicious, baseless' anti-Rafale campaign after SC's verdicts

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday stated that the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the review pleas on Rafale was a “befitting reply” to political parties and leaders who ran “malicious” campaigns. Maintaining that there was no instance of corruption in the Modi government, he claimed that the disruption of Parliament to raise the Rafale issue was a “sham”. Moreover, Shah referred to the SC having warned former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and asked him as well as the Congress party to apologise to the country.  

Read: From Prez's Rule To Sena-BJP Collapse, Amit Shah Fires Back Amid Maharashtra Deadlock

Read: MASSIVE: Rafale Review Petitions Dismissed By SC, Court Rejects 'roving & Fishing Inquiry'

SC rejects review petitions

On December 14, 2018, the apex court had dismissed petitions demanding a court-monitored probe into the intergovernmental deal between India and France to purchase Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation. The review pleas filed by petitioners such as Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, and Prashant Bhushan asked for an investigation in the Rafale jet deal with Dassault Aviation. The SC bench led by Chief Justice Gogoi reserved its verdict in May earlier this year. While pronouncing the judgment, Justice Kaul said that the court found "no merit" in the review petition. 

Read: Nirmala Sitharaman On Rafale Verdict: Rahul Apologise, Congress Introspect

'Gandhi needs to be more careful in future'

Meanwhile, the same bench of the SC discharged Rahul Gandhi from the contempt proceedings. However, the court noted that the judiciary should not be dragged into the political discourse. Highlighting that Gandhi is a person holding an important position in politics, the bench asked him to be more careful in the future. 

The judgment read, "We do believe that persons holding such important positions in the political spectrum must be more careful. As to what should be his campaign line is for a political person to consider. However, this Court or for that matter no court should be dragged into this political discourse valid or invalid, while attributing aspects to the Court which had never been held by the Court. Certainly Mr. Gandhi needs to be more careful in future."

Read: Rahul Gandhi Gets Word Of Caution From SC, No Contempt Proceedings Over Rafale Remarks