Supreme Court to study if Rafale cost can be revealed

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said pricing details of Rafale jets could only be discussed after it decides on whether to make it public, and reserved its order Wednesday on pleas seeking a court-monitored probe into the multi-billion deal amid the government’s vehement opposition to any public disclosure.

The observation by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi came after the government refused to publicly divulge pricing details of the deal, saying it would give an advantage to India’s enemies.

Hearing a bunch of pleas alleging criminality in the Rafale deal and seeking a court-monitored probe into it, the court asked wide-ranging questions from the government on several issues, including the lack of a sovereign guarantee from the French government, the selection of the Indian offset partner by Dassault Aviation and the need to enter into an inter-government agreement with France.

The three-judge bench took note of submissions and counter-arguments on pricing of the fighter jets with the petitioners alleging that the government had been giving “bogus arguments” and “hiding behind the secrecy clause”.