No kickbacks paid in 2005 Scorpene submarine deal: Centre to Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that no kickbacks were paid in connection with the purchase of Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy in 2005 from French company Thales.

The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath by central government standing counsel Jasmeet Singh who said there was nothing wrong with the Rs 19,000 crore deal.

The Centre was responding to a PIL, filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) in 2006, which alleged inaction on the part of the CBI in investigating allegations regarding the deal.

Appearing for the NGO, advocate Prashant Bhushan said a copy of CBI's preliminary enquiry report has not been provided to CPIL on the ground that it contains sensitive information received from Interpol.

The report was filed before the court in a sealed cover by the CBI which had given a clean chit to the deal.

In response to the court's query whether a copy of the report, after deleting the sensitive information, can be provided to the NGO, Singh said only the lawyer for the agency can answer that query.

Thereafter, the court sought presence of the counsel for the CBI to come and make submissions on whether a copy of the report can be provided to CPIL after deleting the information received from Interpol and listed the matter for further hearing on November 4.