The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked for the pricing details of the Rafale deal, but the Centre refused to share these even in a sealed cover, prompting the bench to ask the government to spell out the refusal in a sworn affidavit.

“So file an affidavit, Mr Attorney. File an affidavit, if pricing is something exclusive, then file an affidavit you are not sharing. If you have difficulties in sharing, then say so,” Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said, after attorney-general K.K. Venugopal declined to share the information citing the Official Secrets Act.

The court also asked the government to share details about the “Indian offset partner (if any)” with the petitioners.

Initially, the bench of Chief Justice Gogoi and Justices U.U. Lalit and K.M. Joseph had said the pricing details be shared with the court and the petitioners. Venugopal, representing the Centre, replied that the information was confidential.

The Chief Justice suggested that the government share the information only with the court, in a sealed cover.

But Venugopal said: “No, it has been withheld even from Parliament. It is not possible for us to share with the court also.”

The court then sought the affidavit, which Venugopal agreed to file. The case will be heard next on November 14.

The court sought the pricing details after going through a “sealed-cover” report on the decision-making.

There were some lighter moments. Referring to a PIL seeking a CBI probe monitored by the court, Justice Gogoi said: “Let the CBI put its house in order first. You will have to wait for it.”