'Rafale Papers': the 'bogus invoices' used to help French firm clinch sale of jets to India / BJP accuses Opposition of benefiting from kickbacks
Mediapart is today publishing the alleged false invoices that enabled French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation to pay at least 7.5 million euros in secret commissions to a middleman to help secure the sale of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft to India. Yet despite the existence of these documents, the Indian federal police has decided not to pursue the affair and has not begun an investigation. Yann Philippin reports.
The Congress on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had blocked an investigation into the Rafale deal to protect himself, and dared the government to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) now to uncover the truth. “Why is the government not ordering an investigation if the BJP thinks the Congress is at fault? Are they fools that they are saving the Congress by stonewalling inquiries? Order a JPC now. And make the electoral bonds public; everything will be clear, which party got money from what sources,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said at a news conference, after the BJP accused the Opposition party of benefiting from Rafale kickbacks when the UPA was in power.
French investigative journal Mediapart had revealed on Monday that the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have since 2018 had evidence that kickbacks were paid by Dassault Aviation to a middleman between 2007 and 2012 to help it secure the Rafale deal, but the agencies did not pursue the matter. The BJP seized on the revelation of kickbacks being paid when the Congress was in power to accuse the party of corruption, but did not explain the inaction by the central agencies since 2018….
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