Rafale Deal: Supreme Court dismisses all petitions seeking court-monitored probe

New Delhi : Supreme Court on Friday dismissed all petitions seeking court-monitored probe in the famous Rafale deal case.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said there had been a necessity of fighter aircraft and the country cannot remain without fighter jets.

The apex body said, "We are satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process. A country can’t afford to be under-prepared. It is not correct for the court to sit as an appellant authority and scrutinise all aspects."

On the choice of an offset partner, Gogoi said, “There is no reason for interference in the choice of offset partner and the perception of individuals can’t be the basis for a roving inquiry in a  sensitive issue of defence procurement.”

Vindicating the Government stand, Gogoi said, “We can’t compel the Government to purchase 126 aircraft and it’s not proper for the court to examine each aspect of this case. It isn’t a job of the court to compare pricing details.”

Reacting sharply on the Supreme Court verdict, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, the matter was crystal clear since beginning.

All the petitioners had assailed the pricing of 36 fighter aircraft and the induction of an offset partner replacing the HAL.