Black Money Issue: Supreme Court slams Govt on the source of black money

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the way the investigation has been progressing into the black money case. The two-judge bench of Justice B Sudarshan Reddy and Justice SS Nijjar slammed the Central Government for not investigating specific sources of black money stashed in banks in foreign countries.

The court said the Government has made no effort to track the sources of black money. The court also ordered the Enforcement Directorate to videotape all interrogations in the case and asked to see the CD of tax defaulter Hasan Ali Khan's interrogation that was prepared by suspended IPS officer Ashok Deshbhratar

Justices Reddy and Nijjar also asked the Centre to apprise the court of its investigation into the threat to national security posed by black money and also court also expressed its dismay asking why the investigation was focused only on Hasan Ali Khan.

The Supreme Court also directed the Centre and Maharashtra government to provide adequate protection to Hasan Ali Khan and his family members.

Observing that the Government came to came to know that certain Indians had bank accounts in Swiss banks way back in 2008 but instead of talking about double taxation and treaties the simple question that the Government could have asked the account holders from where did they get the money.

Responding to the court the Government said that it was opposed to the formation of a special investigation team to investigate the issue of black money stashed away by Indian nationals in foreign banks.

However, the government agreed in the court to video-record statements of the accused in connection with the black money case investigation.