Rafale deal: Congress calls Dassault CEO interview ‘dictated’, says lies can’t suppress Rafale scam

Asserting that the truth has a way of coming out, the Congress on Tuesday said "dictated interviews" and "manufactured lies" cannot suppress the Rafale scam.

The nation needs a "fair investigation" and not "doctored explanations" on the fighter jet deal, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

He was responding to Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier's defence of the contract in a media interview. Trappier has claimed no wrong-doing in the ₹58,000 crore deal.

“ 'Dictated Interviews' and 'manufactured lies' cannot suppress the Rafale Scam. First rule of Law - Mutual Beneficiaries and Co-accused's statements hold no value. Second Rule:-Beneficiaries and accused can't be Judge in their own case. Truth has a way of coming out,” Surjewala said on Twitter.

"Fixed match between BJP Government and Dassault and PR Stunts of PM Modi and Eric Trappier can't hide the blatant corruption," he alleged.

French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has partnered with Reliance Defence Ltd for delivering 36 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force.

The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Defence Procurement Procedure was "completely followed" in the procurement of the 36 jets from France and the deal was subsequently approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security.