Sherpa, a French NGO, has filed a complaint with the National Financial Prosecutor's Office seeking clarification as to under which conditions 36 fighter aircraft produced by Dassault Aviation were sold to India in 2016 and the choice of its Indian partner, Reliance, "a group led by a close partner of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi."
In a press release, Sherpa says, "This complaint follows the complaint lodged on the October 4, 2018 by a former Indian Minister and an anti-corruption lawyer with the Central Bureau of Investigation in New Delhi, against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'abuse of authority' and 'grant of undue advantages' in connection with the sale of Rafale, and the facts revealed by Mediapart and Sherpa’s investigation."
It continues, "Anil Ambani, Narenda Modi close associate, Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, and the former Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar have also been targeted in the complaint filed in New Delhi for 'complicity'."
Sherpa adds, it "expects the National Public Prosecutor's Office to promptly investigate the seriousness of the facts and the presumptions on the reported offences: potential corruption, grant of undue advantages, trading in influence, complicity of these offences, concealment of corruption and laundering of these offences."
William Bourdon, founder of Sherpa has been quoted as saying, "France cannot do less than India. Cooperation between both countries should be rapidly established, as it is always the case with international grand corruption investigation. Moreover, the hearing of great witnesses is possible and desirable ".
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