No Need For Court-Monitored Probe Into Rafale Deal: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed pleas seeking court-monitored probe into India’s multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet deal.

The three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph, said it “sees no reason to intervene” in the defence deal to purchase 36 aircraft from Dassault.

“So far as the decision-making is concerned, we have studied the material and interacted with senior air force officer. There was no occasion to doubt the process,” the Chief Justice of India said.

The perception of individuals cannot form the basis for interference, the apex court said, adding that it did not find any material to show commercial favouritism.

The Centre had defended the deal and opposed public disclosure of the pricing details.

The petitions, alleging that there were procedural irregularities in the deal and sought an independent probe in the case, were filed by Prashant Bhushan, Arun Shourie, former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, advocates M L Sharma and Vineet Dhanda, and AAP lawmake Sanjay Singh.

Following the SC verdict, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that Rahul Gandhi should apologise.