Rafale Deal Case: The matter will next be heard on November 14.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to file an affidavit within 10 days to say that the pricing in the Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France is exclusive and cannot be shared with the court.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph also asked the Centre to share information which can be brought in the public domain with the petitioners.
The pricing of the aircraft, the government so far had maintained, is covered under the Official Secrets Act.
The matter will next be heard on November 14.
Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal.
Here are the live highlights:
Shortly after the Supreme Court hearing, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted a video saying, "accused can no longer run away from investigation". Here is his video:
- The opposition has accused the government of going for a not-so-favourable contract to benefit Anil Ambani.
- Both the government and the industrialist have denied the charge.
- The government has argued that national security is involved and "the court is being used on the eve of polls to gain politically in the bitter fight between the government and the opposition."
- Beginning the hearing, the judges made the observation that the suitability of the jet and its utility has not been questioned.
- "What had been questioned is the bonafide of the decision-making and price," they said.
- Petitions call for a court-monitored investigation into the Rs. 59,000 crore deal for 36 fighters from Dassault, announced in 2016 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks in Paris with then French president Francois Hollande.
- The Supreme Court is hearing petitions, including those filed by Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, into the Rafale deal between India and France.
- In the last hearing earlier this morning, the court had asked the government to furnish details of the decision-making process that led to the deal but had emphasized that it would not get into "pricing or suitability" of the jets.
- The government argued that pricing was not revealed in parliament and the earlier government had also not disclosed such details.
- Chief Justice Gogoi said the government could file an affidavit or legal document in court.