Congress seeks JPC on Rafale deal, says SC verdict not clean chit to government

Congress on Thursday said the Supreme Court's verdict in the Rafale case was not a "clean chit" to the government and again raised its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the issue.

In a statement party leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jaiveer Shergill said that judgment has paved the way for a "comprehensive criminal investigation".

"The Supreme Court judgment is not a 'clean chit' but paves the way for 'full investigation'. The layers of corruption in the Rafale scam can be answered only through a fact-finding impartial JPC investigation," the statement said.

It said the Supreme Court judgment has also re-affirmed the Congress stance that the court has 'limited jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution' and it is not an appropriate forum to decide "issues of contractual corruption, malicious bungling in prices, altered specifications, crony capitalism and violation of the mandatory provisions of the Defence Procurement Procedure".

Referring to the judgment, the statement said "independent agencies or the police/CBI were equipped to undertake all forms of investigation and no such restrictions and limitations, as in case of the court, apply to them".

"Judgment of the court in Rafale case would not stand in the way of the investigating agency and taking action," the party said.

The Congress leaders said that "rather than indulging in celebrations, BJP government should agree to a JPC investigation".

"Otherwise, it will be proved beyond doubt that BJP government is not corruption-free and actually wants to remain investigation free," it said.

The party said the Rafale fighter jet deal will continue to be questioned for the "stink of corruption, collusion and crony capitalism, hurting national interests".

The party has been demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale deal.

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the review petitions challenging its verdict in the Rafale case passed on December 14, 2018, upholding the deal to purchase 36 Rafale jets from France.

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph passed the order on a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 14, 2018 verdict which had upheld purchase of 36 Rafale jets by Modi government.