Rafale Deal: French NGO Sherpa Files Complaint Alleging Corruption, Wants Clarification on Terms of 36 Fighter Jets Deal

New Delhi, November 24: A French anti-corruption Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Sherpa that fights 'economic crimes' has filed a complaint with the office of French Financial Prosecutor, seeking clarification on the alleged corruption of Rs 59,000 crore- 36 Rafale fighter jets that was signed between France and India in September 2016. Rafale Deal: We Chose Reliance Defence Over HAL as Indian Partner, Says Dassault Aviation CEO.

The complainant NGO, Sherpa says that its complaint follows the allegation by a former minister and an anti-corruption lawyer to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'abuse of authority' and 'grant of undue advantages' in connection with sale of Rafale, and the facts revealed by Mediapart and Sherpa's investigation. Rafale Deal Row: Congress to Move Privilege Motion Against PM Narendra Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman.

Sherpa in its press release further expected that National Public Prosecutor's Office to "promptly investigate the seriousness of the facts and the presumptions on the reported offences: potential corruption, grant of undue advantages, trading in influence, the complicity of these offences, concealment of corruption and laundering of these offences."

The complaint which was filed in October also seeks probe into Anil Ambani's Reliance group. The NGO says that Reliance had no experience of manufacturing fighter jets and was only registered 12 days before the announcement of the finalisation of the contract, reported Mediapart. Rafale Deal: Narendra Modi's Boat of Corruption will Sink, Says Congress.

The Rafale jet deal with France had become a huge political controversy in India, with an allegation of corruption. The Indian Nation Congress alleges that Dassault Aviation chose Reliance Defence over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to bag the Rs 59,000 crore deal. However former French President Francois Hollande said that Dassault chose Reliance as offset partners in the Rafale deal independently without the intervention of any government. The Indian Ministry had also dismissed the controversy and termed it as unnecessary.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2018 08:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).