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Rafale jet controversy seems to reignite in India after French judge has been appointed to lead a judicial investigation into alleged corruption and favouritism in the 7.8 billion euro sale of 36 fighter aircraft, the French website Mediapart said in a new report on Friday night.
India had ordered the aircraft in September 2016 as an emergency purchase through a government-to-government deal.
Investigative reporter Yann Philippin of Mediapart revealed that the “highly sensitive probe” into the 2016 inter-governmental deal was formally opened on June 14 following a decision by the financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution services, the PNF.
The probe has been launched in the wake of a series of investigative reports published by Mediapart in April 2021 about the deal, including the role of a middleman whose disclosures India’s Enforcement Directorate is reportedly aware of but has not bothered to investigate so far. Following the exposé, the French anti-corruption NGO Sherpa filed a complaint with the tribunal of Paris, citing “corruption”, “influence peddling”, “money laundering”, “favouritism” and undue tax waivers surrounding the deal.
