BJP wants answers from Congress over Sanjay Bhandari's claims against arms company Thales

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday held a press briefing after reports surfaced of fugitive arms dealer and Robert Vadra's close-aid Sanjay Bhandari suing French firm Thales over €11m (Rs 92 crore) as “commissions” that he claimed was owed to him in connection with a defence deal inked in India a decade ago.

Bhandari, who is wanted in India under the Officials Secrets Act, is currently in the UK, where he has sought asylum.

BJP demands answers from Congress

BJP National spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "Sanjay Bhandari, a close friend of Robert Vadra, files a case in London. In the case filed, it is said that he had entered into an agreement with Thales, a company that works to upgrade fighter aircraft.  As part of the agreement, about 170 crores was to be received by Sanjay Bhandari by Thales, of which Rs 75 crores was received during the time of the regime of the UPA government." 

Bhatia asserted that with this case it is clear that wherever there is a case of corruption, the Congress party is always involved. Elaborating on corruption in the veil of commission, he added, "The system was so prevalent in the party that they did not once deter in bringing it in the purview of a sector as vital as defence." 

"Why is Congress' priority always filling up its treasury?"

Bhatia, during the press briefing, directed a few questions at the Congress and asked, "why, whenever the party comes to power, their priority is to fill up their treasury? Why when our soldiers were asking for bulletproof jackets, VVIP chauffeurs were being bought?" Having said that, he urged Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadrato to respond to the questions of the people.

Thales denies Bhandari's claims 

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention here that Thales has denied claims made by Bhandari. The French arms company has said that it had never signed a contract with the fugitive arms dealer or his firms in connection with the abovementioned deal.

"Mr Bhandari filed a petition against Thales SA in a commercial court in June 2021 for the settlement of sums allegedly due to him on an aeronautical modernisation project," said a spokesperson from a French arms company, in an exclusive conversation with Republic. 

He added, "Thales has never signed a contract with Mr Bhandari or his companies in connection with this project. Thales complies with the law and applies a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and influence peddling."