The Congress Monday sought a thorough probe in the Rafale defence deal and demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after a French media report claimed that €1.1 million was paid to a “middleman” by the aircraft manufacturer. Chief Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told a press conference in Delhi that the French news portal’s report has proved that Rahul Gandhi’s oft-repeated allegations of corruption in the deal were correct.

Surjewala said as per the French portal’s report, a probe conducted by the French Anti-Corruption Agency has revealed that after signing of the deal in 2016, Rafale’s manufacturer Dassault allegedly paid €1.1 million to a middleman — Defsys Solutions — an Indian firm. “Does it now not require a full and independent investigation into India’s biggest defence deal to find out as to how much bribery and commission in reality, if any, was paid and to whom in the Indian government,” he asked at a press conference. “Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi answer to the nation now?” he asked. He said this amount was shown as expenditure by Dassault as “gifts to clients”.