Prashant Bhushan calls Rafale verdict incorrect

New Delhi, Dec 14: Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, one of the petitioners in the case, says that the Supreme Court verdict was completely incorrect as the rules laid down in the Defence Procurement Procedure were flouted by the Narendra Modi government.

Speaking to media, Bhushan said,''In our opinion the Supreme Court judgement is totally wrong, the campaign will certainly not drop and we will decide if we will file a review petition Rafale deal.''

The petitions challenging the deal were filed by activist and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, former Union ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh and advocates ML Sharma and Vineet Dhanda earlier this year.

It has become controversial, with the opposition, led by the Congress, claiming that the price at which India is buying Rafale aircraft now is Rs 1,670 crore for each, three times the Rs 526 crore, the initial bid by the company when the UPA was trying to buy the aircraft.

The centre has defended the multi-billion deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets and opposed public disclosure of the pricing details.

India had signed an agreement with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in a fly-away condition as part of the upgrading process of Indian Air Force equipment. The estimated cost of the deal is Rs 58,000 crore.