SC notice on plea alleging Rahul Gandhi pushed pregnant journalist during Oct 12 march

The Supreme Court sought responses from Rahul Gandhi and others on a plea alleging he pushed a pregnant journalist during an October 12 march. The petition seeks an FIR and compensation, while the allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings 

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from Rahul Gandhi and others on a plea which alleged the Congress leader pushed a pregnant journalist during a march to the apex court on October 12.

The plea was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, which issued notice to Gandhi and others.

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Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, who mentioned the matter, said an application has been filed in a pending petition.

A female journalist was manhandled in the court premises, Bhatia submitted.

“Respondent No.4 (Rahul Gandhi) suddenly pushed her towards the gate, with such force that she lost her balance and fell, and had to break the fall with her hands. The push was delivered openly, in a crowded place, in the presence of security personnel, journalists and other persons, despite her express pleas, and was not a mere jostle of the crowd”, the plea submitted.

The application filed in a pending plea sought directions seeking immediate registration of an FIR against Gandhi and all others involved in the “assault” besides seeking compensation.

Bhatia had on October 16 also urged the bench to consider the matter.

“A lady journalist was pushed by Rahul Gandhi in the Supreme Court precincts. She was three months pregnant and had to be hospitalised,” Bhatia had argued, adding that the apex court may take cognisance of the matter.

On October 12, Gandhi and several prominent opposition leaders, accompanied by their supporters, reached the Supreme Court to file a plea over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The national capital has witnessed several protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.

The top court had earlier issued notices to Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the Congress party and others on a plea against the October 12 march.