The Modi government is denying the French judges’ request to assist in investigating the alleged corruption in 36 Rafale fighter jets deal with India in 2016 for €7.8 billion (Rs 670 crore), according to a report by Mediapart, a Paris-based investigative media-outlet. The report was published on Thursday, December 14.
Citing the report, The Wire revealed that the Indian government had effectively denied acting upon the formal requests for international cooperation made by French judges in November 2022, investigating “favoritism, corruption, and influence peddling.”
According to the report, the French Embassy in India faced many hurdles and “distractions for eight months before entirely ceasing the communication,” noting that Mediapart had earlier reported how the French and Indian governments were united to decelerate the investigation, which could incriminate PM Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and former French President Francois Hollande.
The report claimed that the reluctance of the Modi government to provide the classified documents is hindering the French judiciary from investigating corruption allegations surrounding the Rafael deal in 2016.
It is also noteworthy that the Modi government abolished “anti-corruption clauses” from the deal just before signing the final contract.
For instance, In July 2018, the National Herald reported how Anil Ambani presented his Reliance Defense Venture just 12 days before the Rafale deal. He was awarded a considerable contract worth over Rs 30,000 crore by the government at the cost of the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).
Furthermore, the Mediapart report also emphasizes the dismissals and delays faced by the French investigative judges in conducting an investigation. Adding to that, the Indian government and India’s home ministry of affairs haven’t responded to the queries, the report said.
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