Rafale case: Let CBI put its house in order first, says SC
New Delhi, Oct 31: The Supreme Court's concern over the ongoing crisis in CBI was apparent on Wednesday when it observed that a plea for a court-monitored probe by the agency into Rafale fighter jet deal would be considered once the premier investigating agency sets its "house in order".
"Let CBI put its house in order first," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told advocate Prashant Bhushan.
The court's remarks came when Bhushan, who along with former Union ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha has filed a plea in the Rafale case, said they were seeking a court-monitored CBI probe into the deal.
The observation from a bench, also comprising Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph, assumes significance as the CBI top brass, including its Director Alok Kumar Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, are embroiled in an internal feud over the allegations of corruption against each other.
The apex court is also seized of petitions in the CBI matter, including those filed by Verma and Asthana. Both have been sent on leave by the government.
When Bhushan referred to the prayer made in their plea for a court-monitored CBI probe into the Rafale deal, the CJI said, "That you will have to wait."
The Supreme Court asked the Centre to place before it in a sealed cover, within 10 days, the pricing details of 36 Rafale fighter jets India is buying from France.
The apex court also observed that in none of the public interest litigations (PILs) filed before it in the matter, the "suitability" of Rafale fighter jets and its "utility" to the Indian Air Force have been questioned.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
