[1] In 2005, the Minister of Defence, Pranab Mukherjee, approved the deal to build Scorpène-class submarines, which was worth US$3 billion (Rupees 19,000 crores) with Thales.
In 2007, Prashant Bhushan of the Centre for Public Interest Litigation filed a petition with the Delhi High Court to investigate whether there had been kickbacks in the Scorpène-class submarine deal.
[6] French submarine manufacturer Thales refuted the charges, with its country director in India, Francois Dupont, saying, "The e-mails are forgeries and we have sued the news magazine for this.
"[7] Arms dealer Abhishek Verma sued former Deputy Prime Minister of India L.K.Advani and Outlook magazine for criminal defamation in 2006 for maligning his name and launching attacks merely on account of political vendetta.
On 13 January 2016 the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court dismissed the PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by Prashant Bhushan in 2007, thereby exonerating Abhishek Verma.