Rafale issue: Vishwajit Rane says audio clip played by Congress 'doctored', seeks probe

Rafale jet

Goa minister Vishwajit Rane has termed an audio clip, cited by the Congress to attack the Centre on the Rafale issue, as "doctored" and told BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday that he has asked the state government to order an inquiry into the matter. In a letter to Shah, Rane said he never had any conversation with anyone on this Rafale issue.

According to BJP sources, Rane has said that "I have also sent a letter to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar asking for an immediate police inquiry and criminal investigation to expose the mischievous elements."

In his letter to Shah, Rane also said,"...this is a doctored audio and have never had any discussion with this regard on this subject with anyone."

"I would like to...inform the chief minister that there is someone playing mischief and there should be inquiry in this matter and such mischievous elements need to be brought to the books," Rane said in the letter to Parrikar.

The response from Rane, a BJP leader, came after the Congress Wednesday demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Parrikar's alleged claim that he had a file on Rafale and asked if this was the reason why a joint parliamentary committee probe was not being ordered.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala came out with a conversation purportedly Rane and another person to back his allegations.

In his letter to Parrikar, Rane has sought a thorough probe into the matter to bring the accused to the book.

Disclaimer: Reliance Defence has denied any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal.