Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's clean chit to the Narendra Modi government in procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
"Satyamev Jayate (truth alone triumphs)," tweeted Parrikar who was Defence Minister when the Indian and French governments signed an agreement to purchase the planes from Dassault.
Earlier Friday, the court also dismissed all petitions seeking a direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the multi-billion dollar deal.
On the issue of offset partner, the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, said there was no substantial evidence of commercial favouritism to any private entity.
The top court said there has been a necessity for fighter aircraft and the country cannot remain without jets.
