Cong team meets CVC on Rafale deal, demands registration of corruption case

The Congress Monday petitioned the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), demanding the registration of a case into the alleged corruption in the Rafale fighter jets deal and seize all documents.

The Congress also said that it was not for "irreversibility" of the Rafale deal as the matter was being probed, and if corruption is found at a later date, Dassault Aviation, the makers of the aircraft, be warned about the consequences.

A delegation of senior Congress leaders met the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) K V Chowdary and submitted a detailed memorandum, accusing the government of causing loss to the public exchequer and endangering national security by bypassing state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in favour of some businessman "friends" for offset contract.

The meeting comes days after a Congress delegation met the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and urged the apex auditor to prepare a report on the alleged irregularities in the deal and present it in Parliament.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "The government has been lying and hiding. We have, therefore, demanded the CVC to take cognizance, to seize all files and documents and to register an FIR."
He said national security was of prime concern to the Congress, but "if you get clear formal proof of corruption, then there is no doubt that either you will have to cancel the deal or you will have to buy it at a different price. It cannot happen that you will allow corruption as well as find mistakes, then why a probe. At least, first give them a notice, give a warning to Dassault and start an inquiry."