Telugu Desam Rajya Sabha member M.V. Mysoora Reddy, in his complaint to defence minister A.K. Antony dated February 27, 2012, had stated: “Officials in the ministry of defence violated the evaluation process and arrived at (by manipulation) an incorrect decision with regard to the France-produced Rafale Aircraft as L-1.”
“I am also given to understand that the Rafale aircraft has not been sold to any country. Why should India buy a combat aircraft that no other country has purchased? In Libya, in the war against Gaddafi, the Rafale had failed in precision bombing and finally the Typhoon was inducted. The UAE too has rejected the Rafale,” he wrote.
He demanded that the enquiry must be completed within 30 days, that those who manipulated the evaluation process be punished, and the aircraft which was “actually” the L-1 be purchased.
In his reply, Mr Antony stated, “The ministry was asked to examine all the points raised by Mr Mysoora Reddy.” Reacting to the defence minister’s decision, the TD MP said, “How could I have kept quiet as a responsible Opposition MP when it came to my notice that there was a manipulation in the process of evaluation of the bids for a defence contract worth about $12 billion that is likely to go up to $18 billion?”
Thanking Mr Antony for ordering the probe, Dr Reddy said, “I thought it was my patriotic responsibility to request the defence minister for an enquiry into this as I believe Mr Antony has spotless integrity. I appeal to him to allow a thorough probe in a transparent manner so that the country is not put to a loss by awarding the contract to an inefficient company.”