Rafale highlights: Documents related to deal 'stolen from Defence ministry'

Supreme Court will resume Rafale deal hearing on March 14 of petitions seeking review of its December 14 verdict on the purchase of the fighter jets

8:00 PM

Enough evidence to prosecute PM Modi for corruption in Rafale deal: Rahul

Alleging that the "trail of corruption" in the Rafale fighter jet deal "begins and ends with" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi Wednesday claimed there "is now enough evidence" to prosecute him.

 

Leading the party's attack on the Modi dispensation over the deal, Gandhi also alleged "destruction of evidence" and "obvious cover-up" after the government told the Supreme Court that crucial files pertaining to the fighter jet deal were "stolen".

 

"There is now enough evidence to prosecute the PM in the Rafale Scam. The trail of corruption begins & ends with him. That crucial Rafale files incriminating him are now reported “stolen” by the Govt, is destruction of evidence & an obvious coverup," he said on Twitter, using the hashtag "FIRagainstCorruptModi".

7:57 PM

Nobody will get any information from us on source of Rafale documents: N Ram

Documents related to the Rafale deal were published in public interest and nobody would get any information from The Hindu newspaper on the confidential sources who provided them, The Hindu Publishing Group Chairman N Ram said on Wednesday.

 

The documents were published because details were withheld or covered up, the veteran journalist said as the government told the Supreme Court that documents related to the Rafale aircraft deal have been stolen from the Defence Ministry and an investigation into the theft is on.

 

"You may call it stolen documents...we are not concerned. We got it from confidential sources and we are committed to protecting these sources. Nobody is going to get any information from us on these sources. But the documents speak for themselves and the stories speak for themselves," Ram told PTI.

4:26 PM

Time to lodge FIR against PM: Cong on Rafale

The Congress Wednesday alleged corruption and malfeasance in the Rafale fighter jet deal and said the time has come to lodge an FIR against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

"The corruption and malfeasance in Rafale deal is out in the open. PM Modi misused his office to give benefits to Dassault Aviation and caused loss to the public exchequer," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

 

"It is now crystal clear that blatant and massive corruption has taken place in the Rafale deal. It is undoubtedly established that Modi misused his office as Prime Minister to grant undue benefit to Dassault Aviation and caused a loss to public exchequer.

 

"This is a clear cut case under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and different provisions of Indian Penal Code. Time has now come to register an FIR against PM Modi and every other individual so that a time-bound investigation takes place in this entire sage of Rafale corruption reaching the highest echelons of power," he said.

 

Citing a report of the Indian Negotiation Team (INT), now in public domain, he said it is now crystal clear that Modi "misled Parliament and duped the country to cover up the murky dealings and blatant corruption, besides, squandering away national security interests".

3:52 PM

Supreme Court adjourns further hearing to March 14.

3:51 PM

Shouries says that anti-corruption clauses in the deal were omitted with retrospective effect overlooking defence ministry's objection.

3:50 PM

"Every person in this country can look into these documents; but the Court cannot. Interesting proposition by AG!", Shourie remarks.

3:50 PM

"We are here to assist the Court on facts" : Shourie

3:48 PM

CJI invites Arun Shourie to argue

3:45 PM

Prashant Bhushan says that he has stated in the petition that documents are published by The Hindu and The Caravan.

 

So cannot say that petitioners have not revealed source, he adds on Rafale hearing.

3:43 PM

Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan to Supreme court: It is an astounding proposition being made that in the case of a defence deal the courts must not interfere.

3:41 PM

CJI tells Bhushan that he only needs to meet AG's arguments.

3:40 PM

If an allegation of corruption is made, then it is duty of investigation agency to probe as per Constitution Bench judgment of this court. It is a different thing if they don't find they can file a closure report, Prashant Bhushan.

3:39 PM

Bhushan terms AG's submissions 'astounding'

Corruption allegations about defence deals have no exception. Lalitha Kumari case is clear that FIR should be registered whenever cognizable offence is made out, submits Prashant Bhushan.

3:37 PM

Bhushan tells SC 'In Coalgate and 2G scam cases I brought documents from a whistleblower.'

Rafale Jet Deal case in Supreme Court: Petitioner Prashant Bhushan tells the Court 'In Coalgate and 2G scam cases I brought documents from a whistleblower.'

3:36 PM

Bhushan reads out the judgment to show that the very same arguments advanced by AG now were discarded by the Court in 2G, Coal scam cases.

Bhushan reads out the judgment to show that the very same arguments advanced by AG now were discarded by the Court in 2G, Coal scam cases.

3:35 PM

Prashant Bhushan points out that the Court had relied on government documents in 2G and Coalgate cases, though the documents were not sourced through proper channel.

3:34 PM

Bhushan says that the AG's argument that documents cannot be looked into if source is not revealed is not correct.

3:31 PM

Prashant Bhushan says that the documents were published by both The Hindu and ANI.

3:30 PM

CJI says that the Court will hear Prashant Bhushan now.

3:28 PM

The Hindu published the documents by omitting the word 'secret' on the top:

After submitting some documents, AG KK Venugopal says The Hindu published the documents by omitting the word 'secret' on the top.

3:24 PM

In this limited area concerning defence of frontiers, would it not be appropriate for Your Lordships to exercise restraint.

 

This is a matter by which opposition is trying to destabilise the government, AG KK Venugopal.

3:18 PM

Anything on Rafale will be used by the Opposition to destabilise the Government, AG tells the Court about the political impact the case could have.

3:17 PM

AG says that the issue has political angle. The CAG report is already placed before the Parliament and it will look into the issue.

3:17 PM

Justice Kaul says that even if AG's arguments are accepted, some issues deserve to be heard if they "shock the conscience of the court".

3:16 PM

The whole transaction is being discussed day after day. This is more of a political matter: AG KK Venugopal

The whole transaction is being discussed day after day. This is more of a political matter: AG KK Venugopal

3:12 PM

If your submission is that petitioners have not come bona fide, then thats different. But can you say that the document is completely not touchable, CJI Ranjan Gogoi to AG KK Venugopal.

 

3:12 PM

AG to SC: In no other court of the world has a defence deal ever been a subject matter of judicial review

Attorney General K K Venugopal to Supreme Court: In no other court of the world has a defence deal ever been a subject matter of judicial review.

3:11 PM

The entire petition being based on a criminal act, this petition is liable to be dismissed. Defence is one of the most sensitive matters for the State involving safety of each of us, AG KK Venugopal.

3:10 PM

AG comes back to national security argument.

"This purchase is essential for the survival of this nation against enemies", AG comes back to national security argument.

3:08 PM

You can't say that we cannot look into the documents that have come before us: SC to AG

Justice Kaul too joins the quizzing of AG. "The documents having come before us, you can't say that we cannot look into them".