Scorpene deal: HC declines to order CBI or SIT probe

The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to order a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into allegations of irregularities and presence of middlemen in the Rs 19,000-crore Scorpene submarine deal with French company Thales.

A Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath dismissed a PIL and passed the order on the basis of a preliminary enquiry report filed by the CBI, which had concluded that the allegations were not established and sufficient material was not available to register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court dismissed the PIL filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) seeking CBI probe into the purchase of Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy in 2005 from Thales. It had alleged that Rs 500 crore was paid to influence the decision-makers.  The government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and central government standing counsel Jasmeet Singh, had denied the allegations.

“We have carefully gone through the Preliminary Enquiry Report. We found that it is concluded in the report that in view of the inquiries made with the Ministry of Defence and in the light of the discussion of various aspects mentioned therein, the allegations regarding irregularities in processing of Scorpene deal are not established and the material available is not sufficient for registering a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. In the light of the said Report, the relief as prayed for cannot be granted,” the court said.