SC seeks pricing, offset partner details on Rafale deal

New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought more information from the government on the Rafale combat jet deal, including its pricing and deemed advantages.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told the Centre it should state in an affidavit the "difficulty" in sharing the information on pricing after Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said it might not be possible to disclose the cost.

The bench also directed that the government must share with the petitioners the details that it has furnished before the court, relating to the decision-making process leading to the purchase of the 36 Rafale jets in a fly-away condition.

With the petitioners and public, it must also share as far as possible the selection process for the Indian offset partner in the defence deal, the bench said.

As counsel Prashant Bhushan pressed for a court-monitored CBI probe, the Chief Justice told him to wait apparently, indicating the current turmoil in the investigating agency.