In a major relief for the government, the Supreme Court said today that there is no reason for the court to sit in judgement on the correctness of the Rafale jet deal, and ruled that "perception by individuals cannot be the subject of roving inquiry" by the court. "We can't sit in judgement over the wisdom of purchase of aircraft," said the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, adding, "Our country cannot be allowed to be underprepared."
Petitions demanding a court-monitored investigation into the deal were filed after the Congress took up the issue on a war footing, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of corruption and crony capitalism. The Congress has demanded that the pricing details of the planes be made public - a demand the government has rejected citing a secrecy clause in the deal.
Petitions demanding a court-monitored investigation into the deal were filed as the Congress and other opposition parties went hammer-and-tongs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, accusing it of crony capitalism.
The Congress has alleged that the Centre scrapped a deal for 126 Rafale jets negotiated by the previous UPA government and entered an expensive new contract just to help Anil Ambani's defence company bag an offset partnership with the jet manufacturer Dassault.
Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal.
