Rafale Deal Controversy: Nirmala Sitharaman Backs A-G KK Venugopal, Terms Opposition Allegations as 'Wholly Incorrect'

New Delhi, March 9: Defence Minister Sitharaman on Friday backed Attorney General KK Venugopal’s claim that the Rafale documents were not stolen from. The defence minister in a series of tweet slammed the opposition and termed its allegations as "wholly incorrect". Sitharaman on Friday clarified that Venugopal actually meant that petitioners in their review application used "photocopies of the original" papers which were considered secret by the government. Rafale Deal Controversy: Congress Reiterates 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' Chant After 'The Hindu' Report Shows NDA Struck Costlier Deal.

Sitharaman tweeted, “Learned AG KK Venugopal told @PTI_News the Rafale documents were not stolen from the Defence Ministry & what he meant in his submission before the Supreme Court was that petitioners in the application used "photocopies of the original" papers, deemed secret by the government.”

In another tweet, she wrote, “The Learned AG told @PTI_News "I am told that the opposition has alleged what was argued (in SC) was that files had been stolen from the Defence Ministry. This is wholly incorrect. The statement that files have been stolen is wholly incorrect.” #Rafale”

Meanwhile, on March 8, Venugopal took a U-turn on his statement in the Supreme Court that documents related to the Rafale deal were stolen from the Ministry of Defence. Changing his earlier stand, AG Venugopal said that “the statement that files have been stolen is wholly incorrect”. He said that what he meant in his submission before the Supreme Court was that petitioners - Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shorie and Sanjay Singh in the application used "photocopies of the original" papers, deemed secret by the government.

A political row erupted after AG Venugopal told the apex court on Wednesday that the Rafale deal documents were stolen from the government and those publishing them were guilty under the Official Secrets Act. He was referring to documents pertaining to the purchase of Rafale fighter jets based on which articles were published in The Hindu. He also warned the newspaper with a case under the Official Secrets Act for publishing articles based on these documents.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2019 11:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).