Former defence secretary says no misconduct from PMO in Rafale deal

Giving a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, former Defence Secretary G. Mohankumar - during whose tenure the Rafale deal was finalised - said on Friday that the deal was a clean one and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had no role in it. Mohankumar said this to Mathrubhumi TV channel on Friday in Kochi after an English daily came out with his file notings and the Congress-led opposition took it up in the Lok Sabha during the day.

According to the channel, he agreed to speak to them on condition that their cameras are switched off and said this particular newspaper report is like an "inflated balloon". Mohankumar, who hails from Kerala, said when a deal of this nature takes place between two countries, there is nothing wrong even if the PMs of involved countries speak on it. Even though the Rafale deal talks commenced during the UPA tenure, it was finalised during Mohankumar's tenure as the Defence Secretary.

(With inputs from agencies.)