Rafale verdict: 'When CAG report will be out in Jan, how could PAC have seen it?' asks Prashant Bhushan

Notwithstanding the Supreme Court's verdict on the Rafale deal, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday maintained that there was massive corruption in the contract and wondered why the CAG report "cited by the Supreme Court" on it had not yet been shared with the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

New Delhi: A day after Supreme Court pronounced its verdict in the multi-million dollar Rafale jet deal with France, giving a clean-chit to the Modi government, the government of India has sought correction in the apex court verdict. Clarifying on the allegations levied by Congress, government sources have now said “SC was informed CAG is examining the pricing detail, not that PAC has seen the report.” The sources said that the court wasn’t misled. Congress maintains ‘Massive corruption’ in Rafale deal: Notwithstanding the Supreme Court's verdict on the Rafale deal, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday maintained that there was massive corruption in the contract and wondered why the CAG report "cited by the Supreme Court" on it had not yet been shared with the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. At a press conference, Gandhi said the Supreme Court in its verdict cited that a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the Rafale deal was submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) but asserted that no such report was given to the House panel headed by Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge. Kharge, who was also present at the briefing, said PAC has not received any such report."Where has that report gone? Is it with some other PAC that PM Modi has set up," he asked in a dig at the government. He also accused the Modi government of destroying "all institutions" and asserted that corruption to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore has taken place in the Rafale deal under its watch. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan expresses disappointment: Swaraj Abhiyan's founder member and one of the petitioners in the case, Prashant Bhushan Friday said he was disappointed over the court's "conservative view" and claimed "new disclosures" were expected soon in the matter. He also expressed shock that the judgement on the deal between India and France was based on "false information" about CAG report. "Disappointed that the court has taken a conservative view of judicial review in cases of defence deal corruption involving high functionaries," Bhushan said in a statement. He said the "scandal" involving the deal will continue to agitate people in the country. "The scandal will continue to agitate the public mind - new disclosures are expected soon," the activist-lawyer said.