Agartala, Nov 14 (TIWN): Hours after the Supreme Court gave a clean chit for the second time to the Narendra Modi government on the purchase of 36 fully loaded Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, the Congress said that the court order has "paved way for a criminal probe" in the Rafale deal.

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the saffron party has the "habit of celebrating without going into the details" of the Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. He alleged that the BJP was misleading the people on the issue.

"BJP is in habit of celebrating without going into details of verdict. The Supreme Court order has paved the way for a probe into the Rafale deal. The verdict has opened a window for a detailed enquiry into the matter, it has said that 14 Dec 2018 or today's verdict is not an obstacle in way of the CBI from taking action in the case in future," Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference.

SC has said that 14 Dec 2018 or today's verdict is not an obstacle in way of the CBI from taking action in the case in future.
- Congress
Referring to the Supreme Court verdict, the Congress spokesperson further said the "Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any other investigative can conduct an enquiry into the matter mentioned in Para 73 and 86 of the judgment", asking, if the investigation agency will probe the Rafale deal.

"Judgment of the court in Rafale case would not stand 'in the way of' the investigating agency and taking action [para 86 of today's review judgment]" Congress said.

The Supreme Court gave clean chit to the Modi government on the purchase of 36 fully-loaded Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, rejecting the plea for registration of an FIR by the CBI for alleged commission of cognisable offence in the deal.

The top court dismissed the pleas seeking review of the December 14, 2018 verdict in which it had said that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment on Thursday, said, "the judgment sought to be reviewed, would not stand in the way of the first respondent in Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 298 of 2018 from taking action on Exhibit P1-complaint in accordance with law and subject to first respondent obtaining previous approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Supreme Court's Justice KM Joseph has left open a "huge door" for an investigation into the Rafale deal and demanded that a probe must begin in full earnest.

He also called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the fighter jet contract.

He said, "Justice Joseph of the Supreme Court has opened a huge door into investigation of the RAFALE scam. An investigation must now begin in full earnest. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) must also be set up to probe this scam."