Rahul apologises for attributing 'Chowkidar chor hai' jibe to SC after CJI's rap

New Delhi, Apr 30: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday apologised for attributing 'chowkidar chor hai' comment to the Supreme Court.

"I made three errors and I apologise," Rahul Gandhi's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said during the hearing in the Supreme Court regarding the contempt petition against the Congress chief.

The bench, led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, rapped Rahul over the lack of apology in the two affidavits he filed in response to the contempt petition after he "wrongly attributed" a 'chowkidar chor hai' comment to the top court.

"We never said it.. You attributed the comment to us and now you are trying to justify it," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.

"You are contradicting yourself in your affidavit," the court said.

"When you make a mistake, accept it. Everyone does it," the top court said pulling up Gandhi.

The Supreme Court also stated that there was a "contradiction" in Gandhi's affidavit as he had both "expressed regret and justified his comment." "Do you need 22 pages to express regret," the SC asked the Congress chief, referring to his affidavit.

During the hearing, Singhvi on behalf of Gandhi said that, "there were three errors on my part and I sincerely apologise." Singhvi on behalf of Rahul Gandhi also added that contents of affidavit aren't contradictory to each other as claimed by the counsel for petitioner.

The CJI also asked Gandhi's counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, to explain what he meant by "regret within brackets" in his affidavit.

Singhvi later informed the SC that Rahul Gandhi will file a fresh affidavit, containing the word "apology" and "regret", in the next date of hearing in the case.

The court will again hear the contempt case on Monday.