New Delhi, July 7: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday decided to meet head on the petition by an ex-MLA of Samajwadi Party seeking investigation into the alleged abduction and rape of an Amethi girl and told the Supreme Court that accusations against him were false, malicious and baseless.
Rahul's affidavit came in response to the Supreme Court's notice issued on April 6, 2011 on a petition filed by Kishore Samrite, who had appealed against the Allahabad high court order dismissing his petition, imposing a cost of Rs 50 lakh for making frivolous allegations and ordering CBI inquiry against him.
Rahul said, "I emphatically deny the allegation of rape and detention of the writ petitioners by me and say that both these allegations are false, malicious and baseless and no cognizance could be taken by any responsible person of such allegations made on websites."
In the affidavit placed before a bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad, Rahul requested the court to take action against Samrite for filing a vexatious petition to harm his public image and give a political twist to the malicious allegation that that he had kidnapped the girl and her family.
Rahul's strong response is significant in view of the speculation in ruling quarters about the role of a prominent insider who engineered the complaint to showcase his utility.
Many have also noted the CBI's unusual move in this case when it approached the Supreme Court on August 25 last year wanting to be a party in the appeal filed by Samrite. The Allahabad HC had asked for a CBI probe against Samrite on March 7. The CBI had lodged a case under Indian Penal Code Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 181 (false statement on oath), 211 (false charges to cause injury) and 499-500 (defamation).
On Samrite's appeal against the HC order, the SC had on April 6 last year stayed the HC order and issued notice to UP government and Rahul seeking response from them in eight weeks.
The HC in its March 7 order had said, "We also direct the CBI director to register a case against Kishore Samrite and all other persons who are found involved in the plot, if any, hatched in order to defame Shri Rahul Gandhi, Member of Parliament from Amethi."
Comments
Add new comment