NEW DELHI: A PIL on Monday brought the Rafale deal to the Supreme Court for the third time in the wake of reports in the French media, claiming the use of a middleman who is currently accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper contract. The matter will be taken up for hearing after the retirement of CJI SA Bobde.
Public interest litigant-cum-advocate ML Sharma made an impassioned plea before the bench headed by Bobde for early listing of PIL citing his ill-health and claiming that it could be the last plea in his career as a legal professional. Sharma is often before the court with a variety of PILs.
Sharma cited reports quoting alleged findings of Agence Francaise Anticorruption to claim that French manufacturer Dassault Aviation had paid 1 million euros (Rs 8.63 crore) to one Sushen Gupta as commission to clinch the deal. He alleged the payment of commission in a government-to-government deal had vitiated the purchase which he claimed inexplicably veered from Eurofighter jets to Rafale.