Row over 'Rafale files in Parrikar's bedroom' audio clip, Goa CM says Congress making 'desperate attempt'

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday accused Congress of fabricating facts and said that no discussion regarding the Rafale deal ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting. 

"The audio clip released by the Congress party is a desperate attempt to fabricate facts after their lies were exposed by the recent Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. No such discussion ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting," Parrikar tweeted.

The audio clip released by the congress party is a desperate attempt to fabricate facts after their lies were exposed by the recent Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. No such discussion ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting. — Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) January 2, 2019

The Congress, earlier in the day, released an audio clip of Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane claiming that Parrikar has 'all the files related to Rafale deal in his bedroom'. Following this, Rane claimed that the audio tape is doctored and that he never made any reference to Rafale deal or any documents.

Hitting back at Congress, Rane added that the grand old party is trying to create miscommunication between the cabinet and CM Parrikar. He has also asked for a criminal investigation into this.

This had come shortly after Congress demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Parrikar's purported claim that he had a file on Rafale 'lying in his bedroom' 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 between Goa minister Vishwajit Rane and another person. 

Rane purportedly can be heard saying that during a Goa cabinet meeting last week Parrikar stated he had an entire file and all documents relating to the Rafale deal lying in his bedroom, Surjewala claimed, playing the conversation for the media outside Parliament.