Rafale Fighter Jet Deal: Chronology of Events
The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed preliminary objections raised by the Centre that documents on which it claimed "privilege" cannot be relied upon to re-examine the verdict in the Rafale fighter jet deal
New Delhi: Following is the chronology of events in which the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed leaked documents to be relied upon by petitioners seeking review of its Rafale judgement and dismissed the government's preliminary objections claiming "privilege" over them:
-Dec 30, 2002: Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP) adopted to streamline procurement.
-Aug 28, 2007: Ministry of Defence issues Request for Proposal for procurement of 126 MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) fighters.
-Sep 4, 2008: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance group incorporates Reliance Aerospace Technologies Ltd (RATL).
-May 2011: Air Force shortlists Rafale and Eurofighter jets.
-Jan 30, 2012: Dassault Aviation's Rafale aircraft comes up with the lowest bid.
-Mar 13, 2014: Work Share agreement signed between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Dassault Aviation under which they were responsible for 70 per cent and 30 per cent of the work, respectively, for 108 aircraft.
-Aug 8, 2014: Then defence minister Arun Jaitley tells Parliament that 18 direct 'fly-away' aircraft expected to be delivered in 3-4 years from signing of the contract. Remaining 108 aircraft to be delivered in the next seven years.
-Apr 8, 2015: The then foreign secretary says detailed discussions underway between Dassault, MoD and HAL.
-Apr 10: New deal for acquisition of 36 direct 'fly-away' aircraft from France announced.
-Jan 26, 2016: India and France sign MoU for 36 Rafale aircraft.
-Sep 23: Inter-governmental agreement signed.
-Nov 18: Government states in Parliament that the cost of each Rafale aircraft to be approximately Rs 670 crore and that all aircraft will be delivered by April 2022.
-Dec 31, 2016: Dassault Aviation's Annual Report reveals the actual price paid for the 36 aircrafts at about Rs 60,000 crore, more than double the government's stated price in Parliament.
-Mar 13, 2018: PIL in SC seeks independent probe into Centre's decision to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and disclosure of the cost involved in the deal before Parliament.
-Sep 5: SC agrees to hear PIL seeking stay on Rafale fighter jet deal.
-Sep 18: SC adjourns hearing on PIL seeking stay on Rafale fighter jet deal to October 10.
-Oct 8: SC agrees to hear on October 10 fresh PIL seeking direction to Centre to file in "sealed cover" the details of the agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighter Jets.
-Oct 10: SC asks Centre to provide details of decision making process in the Rafale fighter jet deal in a sealed cover.
-Oct 24: Former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan move SC, seeking registration of FIR into Rafale fighter jet deal.
-Oct 31: SC asks Centre to place before it in a sealed cover within 10 days the pricing details of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
-Nov 12: Centre places price details of 36 Rafale fighter jets in a sealed cover before SC. It also gives details of steps that led to finalisation of the Rafale deal.
-Nov 14: SC reserves order on pleas seeking court-monitored probe in Rafale deal.
-Dec 14: SC says there is no occasion to doubt the decision-making process of the Modi government and dismisses all the petitions seeking direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the jet deal.
-Dec 15: Government moves Supreme Court seeking correction in para which makes reference to CAG report and PAC.
-Jan 2, 2019: Former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, advocate Prashant Bhushan moves SC seeking review of Rafale verdict.
-Jan 14: AAP MP Sanjay Singh moves SC seeking review of Rafale verdict.
-Feb 21: Bhushan seeks hearing on plea seeking perjury prosecution of some officials for misleading court in Rafale case.
-Feb 26: SC decides to hear pleas seeking review of Rafale verdict in open court.
-Mar 6: Documents related to Rafale deal stolen from Defence Ministry, Centre tells SC, threatens The Hindu newspaper with the Official Secrets Act for publishing articles based on them.
-Mar 8: Attorney General clarifies that Rafale documents not stolen, petitioners used photocopies.
-Mar 13: Review plea based on leaked secret documents jeopardises national security, Centre tells SC.
-Mar 14: Will first decide preliminary objection raised by Centre, says SC, reserves verdict.
-Apr 10: SC allows use of leaked documents, dismisses Centre's objections claiming privilege.
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