Supreme Court adjourns hearing on petition seeking stay on Rafale deal
Petitioner Manohar Lal Sharma said he sought an adjournment as he wanted to file additional affidavits in the case.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on a petition seeking a stay on the Rafale deal between India and France, reported ANI. The plea, filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, will next be heard on October 10.
A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and KM Joseph observed that Sharma had sent a letter seeking an adjournment because he was unwell, reported LiveLaw. However, Sharma appeared in court and said he sought an adjournment as he wanted to file additional affidavits.
“Now you are talking about filing an additional affidavit but the letter you circulated seeking adjournment is saying you are unwell,” said Justice Gogoi. “You have missed the bus.”
In his petition filed earlier this month, Sharma alleged there were discrepancies in the fighter jet deal and that the deal was an outcome of corruption. He sought a first information report against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, businessman Anil Ambani and French company Dassault Aviation.
Sharma said the inter-government agreement between India and France was not approved by the Parliament. He sought an inquiry into the deal by a Special Investigation Team that would be monitored by the Supreme Court. He said that the agreement should be rejected till the investigation is completed, Firstpost reported.
Since India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore, the opposition Congress has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of getting an overpriced deal. It has also claimed that the government helped a defence firm owned by Anil Ambani with no experience in the sector to land a mega contract under the deal.
The government has refused to reveal the per-plane price that it has negotiated in the deal, citing a secrecy agreement with France.