HomeLegal NewsGovernment did not share price of Rafale jet with Parliament but revealed it to CAG, says Supreme Court

Government did not share price of Rafale jet with Parliament but revealed it to CAG, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday said the material placed before it shows that the Centre did not disclose in Parliament the pricing details of the Rafale fighter jet, but revealed it to the Comptroller and Auditor General.

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By PTI December 15, 2018, 12:01:51 AM IST (Published)

Government did not share price of Rafale jet with Parliament but revealed it to CAG, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday said the material placed before it shows that the Centre did not disclose in Parliament the pricing details of the Rafale fighter jet, but revealed it to the Comptroller and Auditor General.


It said that CAG report was even examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

"The material placed before us shows that the government has not disclosed pricing details, other than the basic price of the aircraft, even to the Parliament, on the ground that sensitivity of pricing details could affect national security, apart from breaching the agreement between the two countries," a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph said.

It said the pricing details have, however, been shared with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), and the report of the CAG has been examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

"Only a redacted portion of the report was placed before the Parliament," the bench said in its verdict as it dismissed a batch of pleas seeking a court-monitored probe into the 36 Rafale fighter jet deal and direction to the CBI for registering an FIR for alleged irregularities.

Farm loans in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh to be waived soon: Rahul
New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said farmers in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will soon get a loan waiver as promised by the party.

The Congress in its poll promises in the three Hindi heartland states had said it will waive the loans of farmers as soon as it comes into power. Gandhi had given the assurance to the farmers in his rallies in the three states.

Addressing a press conference here on the Supreme Court verdict on the Rafale deal, Gandhi said, "There has been a theft of Rs 30,000 crore and farmers, remember that in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, your loan is going to be waived."

"This money that has been taken by thieves is your money," he said referring to the Congress' allegation that there was corruption in the Rafale deal.

The Congress is set to form the government in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh following assembly polls in the three states.

There is no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France, the Supreme Court said on Friday and dismissed all the petitions seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rs 58,000 crore deal.
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