France: Shock to Macron-Modi, orders to probe Rafale deal with India

 France: Shock to Macron-Modi, orders to probe Rafale deal with India

The Paris website Mediapar reports that the first agreement with the Anil Ambani Group was signed by Dassault Aviation on 26 March 2015.  Two weeks later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a public announcement of the decision to purchase 36 aircraft, canceling the deal for 126 Rafale aircraft.

New Delhi: After the recent step taken in France regarding the disputed Rafale deal between India and France, the demand for an independent investigation may arise again in the country regarding this deal.

A judge has been appointed to conduct a judicial inquiry into alleged corruption and favoritism in the case of 36 fighter jets sold to India for 7.8 billion euros, according to a report by Paris website MediaPark on Friday.

The website's investigative reporter Yann Philippe revealed that a 'highly sensitive investigation' into the 2016 inter-governmental deal formally began on 14 June following a decision by the Financial Crimes Wing of the French Public Prosecution Service (PNF).  happened.

The probe has been launched in the wake of several investigative reports published by Mediapar in April 2021 about the deal, including the role of a middleman, of which India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) is reportedly aware, but has now  Haven't bothered to investigate it till now.

These reports can be read at this and this link.  Following the website's revelations, French anti-corruption NGO Sherpa has filed a complaint with a Paris tribunal, citing "corruption, "peddling by taking advantage of influence", "money laundering", "partisanship" and unfair tax exemptions on the deal.  .

According to Mediapar, PNF has confirmed that investigation will be done keeping these four crimes at the center.