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'No inquiry needed': SC dismisses review petitions against its previous order on Rafale deal

The Supreme Court was due to deliver the verdict on the review petitions against its earlier judgment dismissing any corruption in the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets from a French company.

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The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Rafale review petitions against its December 14, 2018 judgement, after it was found to be without any merit.

The Supreme Court was due to deliver the verdict on the review petitions against its earlier judgment dismissing any corruption in the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets from a French company

A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph delivered the verdict on the review petitions.

Earlier on May 10, the Supreme Court had reserved its judgment on the review petitions.

The review petitions which includes those filed by former BJP leaders and Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan, were against the SC's ruling in December 2018 dismissing pleas demanding a probe into the alleged wrongdoing by the BJP government in the signing of the deal with the French firm Dassault Aviation.

The Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal sparked controversy, with opposition parties especially the Congress alleging foul-play by the NDA government in procuring the Rafale jets. Many Congress leaders raised questions against the BJP government over the escalated pricing of the jets, and the reduced number of jets from the previous deal of 136 jets decided upon by the UPA government in 2012.

On October 8, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first of 36 Rafale jets at a ceremony held in France's Merignac where he later performed 'shastra puja' and flew a 25-minute sortie. The Rafale jet handover ceremony coincided with the foundation day of the Indian Air Force as well as the day when Dussehra is celebrated. 

Singh said that seven Rafale fighter jets out of 36 will arrive in India by April or May next year. "After induction of Rafale fighter aircraft, the combat capability of the Indian Air Force will increase. We don't want to intimidate anyone by doing so. We will neither fear anyone nor will we intimidate," the Defence Minister had said.

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