Cong's audio clip claim on Rafale desperate attempt to fabricate facts: Parrikar

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday dismissed the audio clip released by the Congress, purportedly showing the former Defence Minister in possession of the files related to controversial Rafale fighter jets deal.

"It is a desperate attempt on part of the Congress party to fabricate facts after the Supreme Court's ruling in the matter in December last year," said Chief Minister Parrikar, while taking to his Twitter handle. "No deliberations related to the deal took place during the Cabinet or other meetings," he clarified.

"The audio clip released by the Congress party is a desperate attempt to fabricate facts after their lies were exposed by the recent Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. No such discussion ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting," he tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the Congress sharpened its attack on the BJP over the Rafale deal, alleging that Parrikar possessed all files related to the controversial pact, as claimed in the audio clip released by the party.

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Congress party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala played out the clip, claiming that Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane was speaking in it to another person about the deal.

In the audio, Rane, as claimed by the Congress, divulged that Parrikar, who was the Defence Minister when the Rafale deal was signed in 2016 between India and France, had "all files related to the deal in his bedroom."

Later, Rane hit back at the Congress, asserting that the audio tape was doctored and Parrikar made no mention about Rafale deal and its documents.

"The audio tape is doctored. Congress has stooped to such a low level to doctor a tape to create miscommunication between the Cabinet and Chief Minister. Parrikar has never made any reference to Rafale or any documents. I have asked him for a criminal investigation into the matter," Rane told reporters in Panaji.

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

The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, has already said that there is no need to conduct an investigation into the details of Rafale pricing.

The Rafale jet deal controversy has been on the boil over the last few months. The Congress and other opposition parties have been alleging irregularities in the high-profile deal.