SC TO HEAR PILs CHALLENGING RAFALE DEAL TOMORROW

The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear on October 10 a fresh PIL seeking a direction to the Centre to file in “sealed cover” the details of the agreement India has entered into with France for buying 36 Rafale fighter jets.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which has already listed for October 10 another PIL seeking a stay on the high-profile defence deal with the French government, said that the instant plea would be taken up together the same day.

The fresh plea filed before the bench, which also comprised justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph, has referred to the recent “controversy” over the ~58,000 crore deal between India and Dassault Aviation, a French company, for purchasing 36 combat jets and sought judicial intervention to put an end to the raging debate.

“Issue an appropriate writ... or direction directing the respondents (Centre and the ministry of defence) to file the details of the agreement entered into between the Union of India and France with regard to the purchase of 36 Rafale Fighter Jets in a sealed envelope,” said the plea, filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda.

During the day, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Singh also moved the apex court through his lawyer, Dheeraj Kumar Singh, by filing a separate petition on the defence deal.

The MP has sought setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the apex court to probe the Rafale deal.

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