Rafale Review Petition: Documents stolen from Defence Ministry, AG told SC


Devdiscourse News Desk | New Delhi | Updated: 06-03-2019 13:19 IST | Created: 06-03-2019 12:59 IST
Rafale Review Petition: Documents stolen from Defence Ministry, AG told SC
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The hearing begins in Supreme Court on petitions seeking review of its December 14 verdict that had dismissed pleas challenging the deal between India and France for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.

Critical facts on Rafale suppressed when the petition for lodging FIR and investigation filed, Prashant Bhushan told Supreme Court. He further added, "SC would not have dismissed plea for FIR and probe into Rafale deal had there not been suppression of facts"

Attorney General (AG), KK Venugopal told Supreme Court that certain documents were stolen from the Defence Ministry either by public servants and an investigation is pending. We are dealing with defence purchases which involve the security of the state. It is a very sensitive case.

AG says today's The Hindu report on Rafale amounts to influencing hearing in SC and is itself a contempt of court. He further added, "Documents on Rafale deal relied on by petitioners marked secret and classified, and in violation of Official Secrets Act."

Those who put documents on Rafale deal in public domain guilty under the Official Secrets Act and contempt of court, Attorney General in Supreme Court.

Chief Justice of India says hearing advocate Prashant Bhushan does not mean SC taking on record documents on Rafale deal.

Earlier Supreme Court allowed for an open court hearing of the Rafale review petitions. The order was passed by a three-judge bench comprising of Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kauland Justice KM Joseph.

Earlier, on December 14 last year, the apex court had dismissed all petitions seeking court-monitored probe into Rafale fighter jet deal with France, saying that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the deal. The top court had also said that it was not its job to go into the issue of pricing of fighter planes

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