06 March 2019•Update: 06 March 2019
CHANDIGARH, India
Indian government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that classified documents linked to a controversial multi-billion-dollar deal to buy French warplanes had been stolen, local media reports said.
"These documents were stolen from the Defense Ministry either by former or present employees. These are secret documents and can't be in the public domain," Attorney General Kottayan Katankot told the court, broadcaster NDTV reported.
The Rafale jet deal has triggered a political controversy in the country with the main opposition Congress Party accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making the purchase at a three time higher price then what had been negotiated in 2014, when the Congress was in power.
Modi is also accused of favoring billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group while choosing a domestic partner for Dassault Aviation -- the French aircraft manufacturer.
The Indian government has denied all the allegations repeatedly.
Last year, the Supreme Court rejected calls to probe the deal, but now is hearing review petitions filed in the case.
The government lawyer also told the top court that the country needed Rafale jets amid an escalation in tensions with arch-rival Pakistan.
The hearing was adjourned until March 14.
Writing by Ahmad Adil
