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Rafale deal: Modi govt says leakage of secret documents has jeopardised national security

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7 years ago

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Supreme Court on Rafale

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Centre today (Wednesday, March 13) told the Supreme Court that documents, attached in the petitions to review its Dec 14 verdict rejecting a probe in Rafale deal, are sensitive to national security and their leakage by photocopying amounts to theft and puts national security in jeopardy.

The court will continue the hearing on Thursday.

In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) asked the court to reject the review plea and said that the petitioners including former union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie are guilty of leaking sensitive information.

“Those who’ve conspired in this leakage are guilty of penal offences including theft by unauthorized photocopying and leakage of sensitive official documents affecting national security. These matters are now subject of an internal inquiry which commenced on Feb 28,” the government told the court.

In the affidavit, the government said the review plea has been widely circulated and is available to the country’s enemy and adversaries. It said that the documents attached by the petitioners in the Rafale review case relate to war capacity of the combat aircraft.

“This puts the national security in jeopardy. Without consent, permission or acquiescence of the Central Government, those who have conspired in making the photocopy of these sensitive documents and annexing it to the review petition/ miscellaneous application and thereby committing theft by unauthorized photocopying of such documents…have adversely affected the sovereignty, security and friendly relations with the foreign countries,” the affidavit said.

It said that even though the Centre “maintains secrecy”, the review petitioners are “guilty of leakage of sensitive information, which offends the terms of the agreements.”

“The petitioners are using unauthorisedly accessed documents with the intention to present a selective and incomplete picture of internal secret deliberations on a matter relating to National Security and Defence,” the affidavit said.

The Supreme Court is hearing a bunch of petitions seek review of its December 14 verdict which had dismissed demands for a court monitored CBI investigation into irregularities in negotiating the Rafale fighter jet deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation.

As the three-judge bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph, which had delivered the December 14 judgment, began hearing the review petitions, on Wednesday (March 6), counsel for former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha, the most high profile petitioner in the case, urged the court to rap the Centre for perjury.

Stating that the December 14 verdict did not go into their prayer for a court-monitored investigation into the Rafale deal but looked at prayers made by other petitioners – advocates ML Sharma and Vineet Dhanda – for cancellation of the deal, the counsel for Sinha argued that the real question before the court is whether their complaint warranted a probe.

Placing reliance on a set of documents related to the Rafale deal and the negotiations between the Indian and French sides that preceded it but which came in the public domain after the December 14 verdict, Sinha’s counsel said the apex court had relied upon “a large number of serious errors of fact” while dismissing the prayer for a probe into the deal.

“Those facts were presumably supplied to the court by the Centre in sealed cover notes…Critical material facts were suppressed from the court… the government should be hauled up for perjury,” Sinha’s counsel said.

The Centre had vociferously opposed the review petitions and asked the SC to dismiss them as they were based on documents “stolen” from the ministry of defence. “It’s a criminal act on the part of petitioners to bring these documents with them. They have come with unclean hands,” Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal had said.

However, turn two days later the AG said the documents were not stolen, but the petitioners were using “photocopies of the original” papers.

Venugopal had informed the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench on March 6 that documents cited by The Hindu newspaper in its reports on the controversial Rafale deal were stolen and cannot be shown in court as it would affect national security. The government had also warned The Hindu with a case under Official Secrets Act for publishing articles based on these documents.

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Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth appointed next Army chief, to take charge on June 30

The government has appointed Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, currently the Vice Chief of Army Staff, as the next Army chief. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi on June 30.

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1 day ago

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June 13, 2026

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The Centre has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), paving the way for a leadership transition in the Indian Army later this month. Lt Gen Seth, who currently serves as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi upon the latter’s retirement on June 30, 2026.

The appointment was announced on Saturday, with the government confirming that Lt Gen Seth will assume office from the afternoon of June 30. He will take over command after General Dwivedi completes his tenure as the Army’s 30th chief.

Veteran Armoured Corps officer

An officer of the Armoured Corps, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1986 after graduating from the National Defence Academy. Over nearly four decades of service, he has held a range of operational, command, staff and strategic appointments across the Army.

Before becoming Vice Chief on April 1, 2026, he served in several senior leadership roles, including heading the Southern Command and South Western Command. He has also commanded formations such as the Delhi Area and the XXI Corps during his military career.

Leadership transition in the Army

Lt Gen Seth’s elevation comes as the Army prepares for a change of command at the highest level. His appointment follows his move to Army Headquarters as Vice Chief earlier this year, a role he assumed on April 1.

The Ministry of Defence said the incoming Army chief brings extensive experience from command, operational and strategic assignments across diverse military domains.

With the appointment, Lt Gen Seth is set to lead the Indian Army through the next phase of its modernisation and operational preparedness efforts after taking charge at the end of the month.

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IAF AN-32 aircraft crashes while landing at Assam’s Jorhat airbase, five personnel killed

Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while landing at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the accident.

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1 day ago

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June 13, 2026

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An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of five Air Force personnel. The accident occurred during a routine sortie and triggered an emergency response at the airbase.

According to the IAF, the aircraft met with the accident during the landing phase at Jorhat. The force later confirmed the loss of five personnel and expressed condolences to their families. A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

Court of inquiry ordered

The Indian Air Force said a formal investigation will examine the cause of the accident. Officials have not yet disclosed what may have led to the crash, and the inquiry is expected to review technical, operational and environmental factors.

Reports indicated that the co-pilot survived the accident and is undergoing medical treatment.

Personnel who lost their lives

The IAF identified the five personnel killed in the accident as:

  • Squadron Leader Prashant Singh
  • Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar
  • Sergeant Jitendra Sharma
  • Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat
  • Agniveervayu Danish Alam

The Air Force said it stands with the bereaved families during this difficult time.

AN-32’s role in the Air Force

The AN-32 is a twin-engine transport aircraft that has been a key part of the Indian Air Force’s logistics operations for decades. It is widely used to transport personnel, equipment and supplies, particularly in remote and high-altitude regions. India remains one of the largest operators of the aircraft type.

The crash comes months after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft accident in Assam that claimed the lives of two IAF pilots.

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Delhi records coolest day of June so far as rain and thunderstorms bring relief from heat

Delhi recorded its coolest day of June after rain and thunderstorms caused a sharp drop in temperatures. IMD has forecast more showers and gusty winds before temperatures begin rising again.

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2 days ago

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June 13, 2026

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Delhi weather today

Delhi witnessed its coolest day of June so far after widespread rain and thunderstorm activity caused temperatures to drop significantly across the national capital. The change in weather provided much-needed relief from the intense summer heat that had gripped the region in recent weeks.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rain and thunderstorms over the past 24 hours brought a noticeable decline in both maximum and minimum temperatures. Official weather observations showed that Delhi’s maximum temperatures fell well below normal levels, while several areas experienced strong winds and rainfall.

More rain and thunderstorms likely

The IMD has forecast additional thunderstorms, light to moderate rain and gusty winds for Delhi and nearby areas through Saturday. A yellow alert remains in place, with weather conditions expected to stay unsettled before gradually improving.

Weather experts have attributed the recent change to the influence of a western disturbance and associated weather systems affecting northwestern India. While the disturbance is gradually moving away, its impact is expected to continue for a short period.

Temperatures may rise again next week

Meteorologists expect the pleasant conditions to last for another couple of days. After that, temperatures are likely to begin rising again as rainfall activity decreases. The IMD’s latest forecast also indicates a gradual increase in temperatures by the middle of next week.

Recent weather systems have brought relief not only to Delhi but also to parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and other northern states, where thunderstorms and rain have helped ease heatwave conditions.

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