SC Decision On Rafale Deal ‘Totally Wrong’: Prashant Bhushan

Advocate Prashant Bhushan said on Friday, 14 December, that the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss all petitions against the Rafale fighter jet deal was “totally wrong.”

Earlier in the day, the top court dismissed the petitions seeking a probe in the Rafale deal and said that there will be no court-monitored investigation. SC also said it did not find any irregularities in the procedure of the deal.

Bhushan, who was a petitioner in the case, said:

“The Supreme Court verdict is totally wrong in my opinion.”

‘Don’t Know What’s in the Sealed Cover’

While addressing the media after the verdict, Bhushan said that the details given by the government to the court in a sealed cover were unknown.

“When we asked about the price details, the government refused and later gave them to the court in a sealed cover. We don’t know what was in there.”

Prashant Bhushan, Advocate

Bhushan also questioned why the deal, in which India was supposed to get 126 aircraft, was changed to procure 36 jets instead. “The defence always asked for 126 aircraft, they never said they only need 36,” he said.

On Reliance's Involvement in the Rafale Deal

The advocate said that the court has not dealt with many questions, and the ruling is a ‘limited clean chit’ for the Narendra Modi-led government. He also said that he will consider filing a review petition, but clarified that he was not giving up the fight.

On questions about the selection of Reliance group as an offset partner, the apex court said that the choice was made by French company Dassault Aviation. However, Bhushan claimed that no offset contract can be assigned without the defence minister’s involvement.

SC also accepted govt claim that selection of Ambani as offset partner was done by Dassalt and the government has no role in it, despite the fact that defence procurement procedures and offset guidelines require that all offset contracts must be approved by the Defence Minister!

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) December 14, 2018

Alleging procedural irregularities in the Rafale deal, petitioners had sought an independent probe into the case.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, and lawyers ML Sharma, Vineet Dhanda were among the petitioners.