French judge to probe Rafale deal, Congress demands JPC enquiry

Now the French government has decided to probe the alleged  "corruption and favouritism" in the Rafale deal signed with India in 2016 for the sale of 36 Dassault-built fighter jets. On the other hand, in India the Congress party has demended a JPC probe into the deal. A French judge has also been appointed to lead a judicial probe in the 7.8 billion euros (approx Rs 59,000 crore) worth deal. The financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution services (PNF) has said that the investigation will look into allegations of corruption and favouritism in the pact for 36 fighter planes between the Indian government and French aircraft manufacturer Dassault.

French publication Mediapart on Friday reported that the criminal investigation will be led by an independent magistrate "who will, among other elements, examine questions surrounding the actions of former French president François Hollande". He was in office when the Rafale deal was inked, and current French president Emmanuel Macron was Hollande’s economy and finance minister and foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who was then holding the defence portfolio. The development came following a series of investigations done by Mediapart and a subsequent complaint filed by the French NGO Sherpa. A similar complaint filed earlier by Sherpa was rejected by the PNF in 2018.

Mediapart had carried a series of reports on alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal in April 2021. In one of the reports, Mediapart claimed that the former head of PNF Éliane Houlette shelved an investigation into alleged evidence of corruption in the Rafale deal despite the objection of colleagues. Ms Houlette justified her decision to shelve the investigations as preserving “the interests of France, the workings of institutions.” Mediapart’s latest report said.“Now, her successor as head of the PNF, Jean-François Bohnert, has decided to support the opening of a probe, after the complaint was updated with details from Mediapart’s recent series of investigations.” 

 In India also, the deal became controversial, with the Opposition, led by the Congress, claiming that the price at which India is buying Rafale aircraft now is Rs1,670 crore for each, three times the initial bid of Rs 526 crore by the company when the UPA was trying to buy the aircraft. It has also claimed the previous deal included a technology transfer agreement with HAL. The NDA government has said that it cannot disclose the details of the price on two counts: a confidentiality agreement with France, and the strategic reason of not showing its hand to India’s enemies; however, it said that the current deal also includes customised weaponry.

Meanwhile, the Congress party on Saturday demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal after France initiated a judicial probe into the same on June 14. In a tweet the party spokesperson said  the corruption in the deal had finally been exposed.

Rafale Corruption finally Exposed

JPC must investigate #Rafale Corruption

The scandalous expose of ‘Rafale Scam’ involving Massive Corruption, Treason, Loss to Public Exchequer has finally been uncovered & laid bare

Congress Party & Shri Rahul Gandhi stand vindicated today pic.twitter.com/pUXb1kPW9d

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 3, 2021