Rafale: SC nixes review pleas, says no roving inquiry needed

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday junked two petitions seeking review of its verdict giving a clean chit to the Modi government in the Rafale  fighter jet deal with French firm Dassault Aviation.

A three-judge bench, headed by  Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, said  the court cannot have a fishing and roving inquiry.

"We don't feel necessary to order FIR or roving inquiry into Rafale deal case," the bench, comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph, said.

The review pleas, one by former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and advocate Prashant Bhushan, and the other by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, were filed on May 10.

On December 14 last year, the Apex Court had observed that there was no  reason to doubt the decision-making process behind the Rafale jet deal,  clearing the government, which has been repeatedly charged by the  Congress with corruption in the Rs  59,000-crore contract. 

"There is no evidence of  commercial favouritism to any private entity," the Top Court had said.(UNI)