ID :
158566
Mon, 01/31/2011 - 13:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/158566
The shortlink copeid
Waiting for India's request in Hasan Ali case: Swiss govt
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Amid a raging controversy over
black money allegedly stashed by stud farm owner Hasan Ali in
Swiss banks, Switzerland has said it is awaiting a "complete"
request from India for help in this case since 2007.
Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice (FoJ) had last
told Indian authorities in August 2010 to complete their
request and the request has not been completed so far, an FoJ
spokesperson told PTI.
India had first sought legal assistance from the Swiss
authorities in January 2007 in this case, but Switzerland can
provide help only after India makes a request "complete" with
facts corresponding to a fraudulent conduct of the accused,
the official said in reply to emailed queries by PTI.
Besides, the Swiss government's internal probe in the
case of Hasan Ali, who is alleged to have stashed billions of
dollars of illicit wealth in Swiss and other foreign banks,
has found no reality in the presumed transfer of USD 6 billion
to his accounts in Swiss bank UBS, he added.
The spokesperson said that numerous communications have
taken place between the two countries in connection with this
case, but Switzerland can provide legal assistance in the
matter only after the request corresponds to a tax fraud.
Addressing a press conference on the black money issue,
Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said last week that
investigation was still continuing in the Hasan Ali matter and
the case was being pursued both by the Enforcement Directorate
and the Income Tax department of the country.
Mukherjee said that there were several cases involved
against Ali, including a double passport case and avoidance of
taxes and the ED had received information on three Swiss bank
accounts allegedly held by him, where no amounts were left.
"One account where USD 60,000 were deposited, and next
day the amount was withdrawn. There was no trace of that,"
Mukherjee said, adding that the government had seized some
documents related to Ali's foreign bank accounts that later
turned out to be forged.
"On the basis of forged document no information can be
given (by Swiss banks)," the Minister added.
In reply to queries on this matter, the FoJ spokesperson
provided an entire chronology of the case since 2007.
"In January 2007, Indian authorities submitted in the
context of criminal proceedings against Hassan Ali Khan
(namely for money laundering) a request for legal assistance
to FoJ. They asked Swiss authorities to freeze his bank
accounts and to hand over the relevant banking documents."
In the same month, FoJ informed the Indian authorities
that "concerning the presumed transfer of 6 billions USD
domestic inquiries has revealed that the supposed transfer to
UBS accounts has no reality."
black money allegedly stashed by stud farm owner Hasan Ali in
Swiss banks, Switzerland has said it is awaiting a "complete"
request from India for help in this case since 2007.
Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice (FoJ) had last
told Indian authorities in August 2010 to complete their
request and the request has not been completed so far, an FoJ
spokesperson told PTI.
India had first sought legal assistance from the Swiss
authorities in January 2007 in this case, but Switzerland can
provide help only after India makes a request "complete" with
facts corresponding to a fraudulent conduct of the accused,
the official said in reply to emailed queries by PTI.
Besides, the Swiss government's internal probe in the
case of Hasan Ali, who is alleged to have stashed billions of
dollars of illicit wealth in Swiss and other foreign banks,
has found no reality in the presumed transfer of USD 6 billion
to his accounts in Swiss bank UBS, he added.
The spokesperson said that numerous communications have
taken place between the two countries in connection with this
case, but Switzerland can provide legal assistance in the
matter only after the request corresponds to a tax fraud.
Addressing a press conference on the black money issue,
Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said last week that
investigation was still continuing in the Hasan Ali matter and
the case was being pursued both by the Enforcement Directorate
and the Income Tax department of the country.
Mukherjee said that there were several cases involved
against Ali, including a double passport case and avoidance of
taxes and the ED had received information on three Swiss bank
accounts allegedly held by him, where no amounts were left.
"One account where USD 60,000 were deposited, and next
day the amount was withdrawn. There was no trace of that,"
Mukherjee said, adding that the government had seized some
documents related to Ali's foreign bank accounts that later
turned out to be forged.
"On the basis of forged document no information can be
given (by Swiss banks)," the Minister added.
In reply to queries on this matter, the FoJ spokesperson
provided an entire chronology of the case since 2007.
"In January 2007, Indian authorities submitted in the
context of criminal proceedings against Hassan Ali Khan
(namely for money laundering) a request for legal assistance
to FoJ. They asked Swiss authorities to freeze his bank
accounts and to hand over the relevant banking documents."
In the same month, FoJ informed the Indian authorities
that "concerning the presumed transfer of 6 billions USD
domestic inquiries has revealed that the supposed transfer to
UBS accounts has no reality."
