Rafale deal LIVE updates: Supreme Court to hear review pleas today
Rafale deal LIVE updates: There are two review petitions in the Rafale matter — one by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and advocate Prashant Bhushan, and the other by AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
The Rafale fighter is a twin-engine Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation
Rafale deal LIVE updates: The Supreme Court Wednesday will hear petitions seeking review of its December 14 verdict on the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in an open court. There are two review petitions in the Rafale matter — one by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and advocate Prashant Bhushan, and the other by AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph had on December 14 dismissed petitions seeking a court-monitored probe into the purchase of the jets from France, finding “no occasion to doubt the (decision-making) process” leading to the award of the contract, and said there was no material to show that the government had favoured anyone commercially.
Watch: Rafale deal controversy explained
A day after the bench passed the judgment, the Centre had approached the court seeking correction in the text of its order where it said that a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the pricing of the fighter jets “has been” examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Live Blog
Rafale deal LIVE updates: The Supreme Court will hear review petitions of its verdict dismissing pleas seeking a court-monitored probe into the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France.
Explained: What the CAG report says on Rafale deal
The CAG report has examined the €7.87-bn deal for 36 Rafale aircraft signed between India and France on September 23, 2016 to assess “if the objectives of Indo-French joint statement and the objectives set out for INT by DAC were achieved”.
The CAG report tabled in Parliament compares UPA deal for 126 Rafale aircraft with NDA deal for 36 jets. How was this worked out? What else does the CAG report cover or not cover? READ HERE
What all could have happened if we had Rafale: PM Modi amid tensions with Pak
Addressing a public meeting in Gujarat’s Jamnagar Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated that if the Indian Air Force had the Rafale fighter jets, the results of recent aerial engagement with Pakistan could have been different.
After Modi’s suggestion that the IAF could have done even better if they had the Rafael fighter jets, the opposition parties had charged that the PM was understating bravery and valour of the IAF by suggesting that lacked proper equipment.
Modi’s remarks come a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi had claimed that the country would lose Rs 30,000 crore if the NDA government was to push through the new deal signed in 2015.
Explained: What is the Rafale controversy about?
The Opposition parties have alleged that the NDA government bought 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, built by Dassault Aviation of France, under a direct government-to-government agreement at a much higher price than the one that was being negotiated for 126 aircraft by the previous UPA government under an open tender.
The controversy sharpened after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declined to share the cost of the Rafale fighters. READ MORE
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has alleged there was a “scam” in the deal which was “personally got done” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rafale: Supreme Court's December 14 verdict
Vindicating the government stand and taking the sting out of the Opposition Congress attack over alleged irregularities in the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France, the Supreme Court in December last year, dismissed all four petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation, saying it found “no occasion to really doubt the process” of decision making, pricing and selection of offset partners.
The judges said “we do not find any substantial material on record to show that this is a case of commercial favouritism to any party by the Indian government, as the option to choose the IOP (Indian Offset Partner) does not rest with the Indian government”. READ MORE
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan with former union ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha (File/ Express Photo By Amit Mehra)
The petitioners, Shourie, Sinha and Bhushan sought a review of the judgment, saying the court, in its December 14 order, had relied on “patently incorrect” claims made by the government in its note submitted in a sealed cover to the bench which heard the original petition. They claimed that more information had come to light subsequently and not considering them would result in grave miscarriage of justice and requested that it be heard in open court.
Sanjay Singh in his petition alleged contradictions in the statements of the government.
The petitioners have questioned Anil Ambani’s Reliance defence as the choice of the offset partner, despite having no experience in the airspace sector. On the price of the Rafale aircraft, Bhushan, who appeared on behalf of himself and Sinha and Shourie, said the government was hiding behind the secrecy clause of the agreement.
India signed an agreement with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in a fly-away condition as part of the upgrading process of Indian Air Force equipment. The Rafale fighter is a twin-engine Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation.
Explained: What the CAG report says on Rafale deal
The CAG report has examined the €7.87-bn deal for 36 Rafale aircraft signed between India and France on September 23, 2016 to assess “if the objectives of Indo-French joint statement and the objectives set out for INT by DAC were achieved”.
The CAG report tabled in Parliament compares UPA deal for 126 Rafale aircraft with NDA deal for 36 jets. How was this worked out? What else does the CAG report cover or not cover? READ HERE
What all could have happened if we had Rafale: PM Modi amid tensions with Pak
Addressing a public meeting in Gujarat’s Jamnagar Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated that if the Indian Air Force had the Rafale fighter jets, the results of recent aerial engagement with Pakistan could have been different.
After Modi’s suggestion that the IAF could have done even better if they had the Rafael fighter jets, the opposition parties had charged that the PM was understating bravery and valour of the IAF by suggesting that lacked proper equipment.
Modi’s remarks come a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi had claimed that the country would lose Rs 30,000 crore if the NDA government was to push through the new deal signed in 2015.
Explained: What is the Rafale controversy about?
The Opposition parties have alleged that the NDA government bought 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, built by Dassault Aviation of France, under a direct government-to-government agreement at a much higher price than the one that was being negotiated for 126 aircraft by the previous UPA government under an open tender.
The controversy sharpened after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declined to share the cost of the Rafale fighters. READ MORE
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has alleged there was a “scam” in the deal which was “personally got done” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rafale: Supreme Court's December 14 verdict
Vindicating the government stand and taking the sting out of the Opposition Congress attack over alleged irregularities in the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France, the Supreme Court in December last year, dismissed all four petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation, saying it found “no occasion to really doubt the process” of decision making, pricing and selection of offset partners.
The judges said “we do not find any substantial material on record to show that this is a case of commercial favouritism to any party by the Indian government, as the option to choose the IOP (Indian Offset Partner) does not rest with the Indian government”. READ MORE