A new row erupted on Wednesday over the probe into the multi-billion rand arms deal, following claims the executive had rejected clauses in the forensic audit report of the Auditor General.

This has again raised fears among opposition political parties of interference by the executive in the investigation into the deal.

However, AG Shauket Fakie stressed that in consulting President Thabo Mbeki and four Cabinet ministers on the report, he was merely following due process.

He told Sapa a report in Die Burger saying the executive had "thrown back" the forensic audit for rewriting was "totally wrong and inaccurate".

As was the case with all reports, parties connected to the audit were asked for comment to ensure against factual inaccuracies.

"All I'm doing is following due process... it would be very embarrassing if I sent this to Parliament and it was found there were inaccuracies.

"We just want to ensure that it is factually correct."

Any party that was unhappy with sections of the report would have to provide evidence to the contrary for it to be amended, Fakie said.

The report was apparently also sent to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe.

The four ministers have been vocal in their criticism of Parliament's public accounts committee's (Scopa) decision last year to recommend a multi-agency probe into the deal.

The ministers, in January, told a press conference the committee was incompetent and irresponsible, and did not understand how arms deals worked.

They also criticised the AG's report of last year that first suggested a forensic investigation.

The probe into the deal is being conducted by the AG, Public Protector's office and National Directorate of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

Public Protector Selby Baqwa is heading the public hearings section of the probe, with the NDPP responsible for criminal investigations.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel told Sapa he received numerous audit reports for comment every week, as required by regulations.

Even in the case of the arms deal, the AG had to act within the context of the law.

"We must stop trying to find a bear behind every bush," he said.

Scopa chairman Dr Gavin Woods on Wednesday confirmed the AG was legally obliged to direct the report to the executive, to ensure national secrecy provisions were not contravened.

He said it could be argued, however, that Fakie could have exercised more discretion in invoking the regulations, given that the executive was central to the arms deal.

Problems could arise if the interaction between the AG and executive went beyond the regulations and involved a rewriting of the report.

"I'm sure this will raise suspicions in certain quarters... that they were able to see and comment on the report before it came to Parliament.

"Particularly given that the executive had been fairly hostile regarding the committee and the Auditor General's original report."

Questions could also be raised as to why Fakie had delayed presenting the report to Parliament, and why he had not discussed the issue with Scopa when he appeared before the committee on Tuesday, Woods said.

Fakie told Scopa on Tuesday the report might not be ready before Parliament closed for recess in mid-November.

Democratic Alliance public accounts spokeswoman Raenette Taljaard said this was not a legal but a political argument.

The arms deal decision-makers in the executive were now the very people who were being given the opportunity to vet the findings of the investigations.

"It is of great concern that the executive has first sight of a report that was requested by Parliament from the investigators, while Parliament has to languish in uncertainty as to which structures the eventual report will be submitted to and when that will happen."

The AG should state the number of meetings he had with the executive during the course of the investigation, and what the agenda of the talks were, she said.

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said in a statement on Wednesday he was disgusted Cabinet was "supervising the writing of the arms deal investigation report".

"This is yet another example of government interference in the process of investigating the multi-billion rand arms deal.

"The UDM repeatedly urged that the investigation should be independent of government, exactly to avoid these types of problems."

It was ridiculous that the very structure that was being investigated could supervise the drafting of the final report, he said.

With acknowledgements to Sapa.