Rafale a game-changer, controversy created for political gains: Ex-IAF Chief BS Dhanoa

The Supreme Court dismissed a review petition seeking a probe into the Rafale deal. Justice SK Kaul while reading the judgement said that the review petition, challenging its 2018 order, is without merit. The top court dismissed a plea seeking lodging of an FIR to probe the Rafale deal inked with Dassault Aviation.

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court dismissed a review petition seeking a probe into the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, former Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief BS Dhanoa on said that the controversy related to it was "created to gain petty political gains" and reiterated that Rafale is a good aircraft which is a game-changer

In an exclusive interview to Zee News, Dhanoa said, "Rafale is a game-changer. The whole controversy was created to gain petty political gains."

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph on Thursday passed the order on a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 14, 2018, verdict which had upheld purchase of 36 Rafale jets by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government from France. 

Justice Kaul, while reading the judgement, said that the review petition is without merit and thus, gave a clean chit to the government. 

On the top court's verdict, the ex-IAF chief further said that the cost negotiation committee was headed by deputy chief of Air Force and everything was done correctly. 

"The cost negotiating committee for this particular deal was headed by the then Deputy Chief and they have done a wonderful job. They went into all aspects. Ultimately, security forces are sufferer in such controversies," he said. 

The petitions in the case had demanded a CBI probe into the purchase of Rafale jets. After the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking court-monitored probe into Rafale fighter jet deal, saying that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the deal, review petitions were filed by former union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and others against the judgement.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, apart from the Rafale deal verdict, two other important cases - petitions challenging entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple and the contempt case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi - were also delivered.