The audio clip is a desperate attempt by the Congress to fabricate facts, says Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said the audio conversation that went viral on social media platforms and in which he "says" Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar “had stored files on the Rafale deal in his bedroom”, was doctored.

At a press conference in Panaji, Mr. Rane, a former Congress leader who had switched over to the BJP immediately after Mr. Parrikar took the vote of confidence in 2017, said he was being used as a pawn in the power game between the ruling and Opposition parties.

"The Congress seems to be very frustrated in the election year to stoop to so low. This is why I have asked Chief Minister Parrikar to take the help of the State police as well as Central agencies to probe the source of the purported audio conversation,” he said adding that he was being made a "scapegoat" by the Congress for the last 16 months.

"Video which is going viral is doctored. I have asked the Chief Minister to direct the DGP to probe this. There was never a point of time when Parrikar talked about Rafale. I will meet him. I will also urge BJP national president Amit Shah to probe into the audio,” he said.

Hear the leaked conversation with BJP MLA, @visrane, as he reveals Goa CM @manoharparrikar has hidden details of the #RafaleScam #RafaleAudioLeak pic.twitter.com/pIWnmFQp3q — Congress (@INCIndia) January 2, 2019

However, Mr. Parrikar on Wednesday tweeted that the audio clip is a "desperate attempt" by the Congress party to fabricate facts and that no such discussion had happened.

"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," Mr. Parrikar tweeted.

Mr. Rane stated that he had spoken to the BJP top leadership and told them that he would cooperate with any investigation.

"They [Congress] are trying to sensationalise Rafale. Central agencies should probe the audio so that these things can come out. There is no question of discussing this subject," he said.

Mr. Rane also spoke of the manipulations being used in doctoring audios in recent times.

"I have never had any informal conversation with anyone as a politician; the Congress is targeting me because they see me as a threat. This is an attempt to create a rift between me, the Cabinet and Mr. Parrikar," he said.

"Seeing Mr. Parrikar in Secretariat [on Tuesday] has demoralised the Congress," he observed.

Mr. Parrikar visited the State Secretariat for the first time in four months on Tuesday since he fell sick.

The Congress has, in the past, alleged that Mr. Parrikar, who was the Defence Minister when the Rafale deal was signed by the Prime Minister, and who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, was refusing to step down as Chief Minister by allegedly "blackmailing" the Prime Minister with files related to the controversial Rafale deal.