Modi admitted to theft in Rafale deal in SC: Rahul

Stepping up attack on Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the prime minister had admitted that the Rafale contract was changed without consulting the Air Force in the Supreme Court.

“Modi ji has admitted to his theft in the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, he has admitted that the contract was changed without consulting the Air Force and that he had put Rs 30,000 crore in Ambani's pockets,” Rahul tweeted on Tuesday.

“The full picture is yet to unravel, friend,” he added.

On Monday, the Modi government had submitted a 14-page document titled “Details of the steps in the decision making process leading to the award of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft order” to the Supreme Court.

Rahul also tagged a media report in his tweet, claiming that the government in its affidavit before the Supreme Court admitted that the Defence Acquisition Council had approved the Acceptance of Necessity for 36 Rafale jets on May 13, 2015— almost a month after the prime minister's visit to France, where he made the announcement to buy 36 fighter aircraft in fly away condition.

The Congress also dismissed as “doctored explanations” the interview given by Dassault CEO Eric Trappier to ANI where he had rubbished Rahul's claims and dubbed the congress president as a “liar”.

“Fixed match between BJP government & Dassault and PR stunts of PM Modi & Eric Trappier can’t hide the blatant corruption,” Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

“'Dictated interviews and manufactured lies cannot suppress the Rafale scam,” Surjewala said reiterating the demand for an investigation into the fighter aircraft deal by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Earlier, the Congress had claimed that the Modi government has “virtually admitted” in the Supreme Court that the Cabinet Committee on Security was not consulted before finalising the Rafale deal with France in April 2015.

“There is a virtual admission that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was not consulted before. Will you consult after giving the contract or before the contract,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi had told reporters on Monday.