Dinner for MPs: SC dismisses petition against Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi, Nov 12 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition seeking prosecution of Congress President Sonia Gandhi for allegedly offering illegal gratification in the form of a dinner hosted for MPs to garner support for UPA nominees for the posts of President and Vice-President.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and D K Jain declined to take note of media reports that the dinner hosted on August 8 by Ms Gandhi was for garnering votes for Pratibha Patil and Mohammad Hamid Ansari, candidates for the post of President and Vice-President.

The court in its order said the complaint filed by Ravindra Kumar (advocate) did not disclose any offence.

Senior counsel P N Lekhi appearing for the petitioner contended that the dinner was a clear cut case of bribing the electorate and amounted to corrupt electoral practices indulged in by Ms Gandhi.

UNI