Rafale Deal Controversy: Centre Opposes Probe, Says 'Fighter Jets Not For Ornamentation'
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was hearing a review petition on its December 14 verdict, which had ruled out a probe into the Rafale deal.
New Delhi, May 10: The central government on Friday opposed a probe in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets in the Supreme Court, citing the deal as a matter of national security. The Centre on Thursday filed another affidavit against the perjury plea filed by former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan who accused the government of playing fraud upon the court to obtain favourable order in the Rafale fighter jet case.
Appearing for the government, Attorney General KK Venugopal said: "This (Rafale fighter) is not for ornamentation. This is an essential requirement for protection of each and every one of us... Nowhere in the world will any such matter be brought before court." A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was hearing a review petition on its December 14 verdict, which had ruled out a probe into the Rafale deal. The top court later reserved its order. Congress Govt Will Order Comprehensive Probe into Rafale Deal: Singhvi.
Seeking review of the December 14 judgement, the petitioners on Thursday filed a rejoinder saying the verdict was based on "multiple falsehoods and suppression of material and relevant information". "It is clear the government misled the court on various counts in the notes that were submitted in a sealed cover. The government has also suppressed material and relevant information from the court and obtained the impugned judgement on the basis of fraud played upon the court by the government," said the rejoinder. Rahul Gandhi Expresses Regret on 'Chowkidaar Chor Hai' Comment Made In Context of Supreme Court Rafale Deal Observation.
However, the Centre, in its affidavit, claimed the mismatch between a certain portion of the judgement pronounced on December 14, 2018, about its submissions on the CAG report, is not a major error and that it does not affect the judgement. On May 4, the government had filed another affidavit in the top court seeking to dismiss the application for a review of the deal, informing the court that monitoring of progress by the Prime Minister's Office of a government-to-government process "cannot be construed as interference or parallel negotiations."
The government said the mismatch between certain paragraphs (Para 25) of the judgement and the submissions of the Centre (given in a sealed cover) in relation to CAG report was sought to be corrected by filing an application the very next day, December 15, 2018.
"In any case, the mismatch does not in any manner, either directly or indirectly, affect the main judgement and it is not a substantial error as contended since the fact is that there is no fault found in the decision-making processor on pricing as concluded by the CAG in its report submitted subsequent to the judgment," said the Centre's affidavit. (With agency inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2019 04:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).