Rafale files not stolen, petitioners used photocopies: Attorney-General

Attorney General KK Venugopal made it clear that the files were not stolen.

However, the issue of missing Rafale files has created a huge political row with Congress President Rahul Gandhi even demanding an investigation into the case.

Gandhi pointed out that the probe should start with Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who was earlier the Defence Minister.

Addressing meeting of booth members meeting at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Taleigao near the city, Gandhi said, "You want to start an inquiry, then start the inquiry with Parrikar. Parrikar said clearly in the cabinet, it is taped, that Rafale files are with me and Narendra Modi cannot remove me as Goa Chief Ministers because the day he does that, I will bring out the Rafale files in the open."

The Congress leader also alleged that not just the Rafael files but government as well was missing from the state.

"But not just files are missing. Goa government is missing," he said.

The opposition Congress had been demanding resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar claiming that there was no governance in the state due to the ill health of the Chief Minister.

What did Centre tell Supreme Court?

"These documents were stolen from the Defence Ministry either by former or present employees. These are secret documents and can't be in the public domain," the Attorney General has been quoted by NDTV. 

When Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked what action has been taken, the Centre said the government is probing into the matter.

"It is a criminal offence. We are objecting preliminary because secret documents can't be annexed with the petition. Review and perjury petitions must be dismissed," the Attorney General was quoted by NDTV. 

The Hindu report on Rafale pointing finger at Modi government:

In its first report, The Hindu had claimed that the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) held parallel parleys with the French government prompting the Defence Ministry to object to the separate talks.

The Defence Ministry's objection was quoted by The Hindu, "We may advise PMO that any officers who are not part of Indian Negotiating Team may refrain from having parallel parlays [parleys] with the officers of French Government....in case the PMO is not confident about the outcome of negotiations being carried out by the MoD, a revised modality of negotiations to be led by PMO at appropriate level may be adopted in the case.” 

The second report stated the Indian government made some unprecedented concessions to France in the Rafale deal.

Days before the signing of the deal, as the newspaper reported, India dropped provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account.

In the third report pointing a finger at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, The Hindu stated three Defence Ministry officials had arrived at a conclusion that the Rafale deal (buying of 36 fighter jets from France) made by the Narendra Modi government was not on "better terms" than the one made by the UPA government.

The three Defence Ministry officials, who were the domain experts on the seven-member Indian Negotiating Team (INT), also concluded that the delivery schedule of the first 18 of 36 jets in the new deal was slower than the original procurement process. 

Under the Congress-led UPA government, which ruled the country from 2004 to 2014, India has signed a deal to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets.