Rafale investigation: Congress digs at Modi govt
New Delhi: Congress has taken a dig at Narendra Modi-led NDA government following French judge decision to open a criminal investigation into the alleged “corruption deal in the ₹59,000 crore Rafale deal with India for 36 fighter jets.
Congress leader Pawan Khera tweeted that documents published in the French website Mediapart vindicated the Congress charges against the Modi government. Mediapart documents stated that Reliance had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 26, 2015, just 15 days before PM Modi’s announcement of the exclusion of HAL from the deal.
Khera stated that Mediapart documents reveal that Dassault and Reliance had signed their first MoU, 15 days before the Modi government decision of exclusion of HAL. This begs the question- whether they had been informed of it in advance about Rafale, he tweeted.
The case
The Indian government has signed with French defense major Dassault for procuring 36 fighter jets in 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France. Thirty-six fighter jets will join the Indian Air by April 2022. The five Rafale fighter jets arrived to India in September 2020.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Modi government had taken commissions in the Rafale deal; however, the government had refuted the allegations. The decision of the French judge to investigate the case could be considered a blow to the Modi government.
Mediapart investigative reporter Yann Philippin revealed that the ‘highly sensitive probe’ into the 2016 Rafale deal with the Indian government was opened on June 14 following the decision by the financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution service.
Following series of investigative reports of Yann Philippin of Mediapart, the probe has been ordered, investigation will look into the role of middlemen Sushen Gupta — already under investigation in the AgustaWestland case. Enforcement Directorate is aware of the middlemen's role in the deal but has not shown interest in investigating the case.
Congress leader Pawan Khera stated government has to answer the question about its alleged deals in procuring fighter jets to Indian Airforce.
