Rafale Review Petition Hearing Adjourned Till May 10, Listed With Contempt Petition Against Rahul

The Rafale Review Petition was filed by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist-advocate Prashant Bhushan to probe into the alleged irregularities in the multi-crore Rafale fighter jet deal.

New Delhi: The hearing in the Rafale review petition has been adjourned till May 10, when the Supreme Court will hear contempt petition filed against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as well.

Meanwhile, the Centre has told the Supreme Court that “categorical and emphatic” findings recorded by the top court in its December 14 last year verdict in the Rafale deal case has no apparent error warranting its review. The Centre further slammed the petitioners for seeking a review petition based on press reports and incomplete internal file notings procured unauthorisedly and illegally. Thus it added that the scope of the review petition is “extremely limited”.

Notably, former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist-advocate Prashant Bhushan had filed pleas seeking review of the December 14 verdict and a probe into the alleged irregularities in the multi-crore Rafale fighter jet deal.

“The review petition…is an attempt to get a fishing and roving inquiry ordered, which this court has specifically declined to go into based on the perception of individuals. A non-existent distinction is sought to be created between an inquiry by the CBI and the court by playing on words,” the Centre’s affidavit said.

The Centre pointed out that all papers and files have been made available to the CAG who has given his report “concluding that the price of 36 Rafale is 2.86 per cent lower than the audit aligned price, apart from additional benefits which would accrue because of change from firm and fixed pricing to non-firm price.” It said that waiver of a sovereign or bank guarantee in government-to-government agreements or contracts is not unusual.

(With agency inputs)