Blackmoney case: SC slams govt over probe

New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) The Indian apex court on Thursday
came down heavily on the Centre on the issue of black money
hoarders and asked why stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan and
other alleged offenders were not being subjected to custodial
interrogation despite probe agencies possessing sufficient
material.
"What the hell is going on in this country," the court
asked, while virtually snubbing Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium when he tried to make certain submissions.
The court also ordered that three key ED officials
allegedly transferred midway into the probe in a case of
alleged foreign exchange violation by Hasan Ali Khan, the
Pune-based businessman, be reinstated forthwith. The court
called the transfer as unfortunate.
A bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar
also indicated that if the government fails to act, it would
be compelled to appoint a special officer for supervising the
probe against the offenders.
The apex court also wanted to know what prevented the
government from subjecting Khan and other alleged black money
launderers to custodial interrogation.
Khan, who is alleged to have stashed around USD 8
billion in foreign banks, had been earlier served a notice for
a tax demand for about Rs 50,000 crore.
The court castigated the government for failing to
interrogate Khan and other alleged offenders despite having
sufficient material in the possession of investigators.
"There are instances when minor offenders are shot
down for violating Section 144 CrPC, but you don't take any
action against these people. We are very sorry. All these
people are now free," the bench remarked voicing its
dismay.
The bench granted time till Tuesday to the Centre to
file its response failing which it said the court would be
constrained to pass necessary orders.
The apex court had on February 10, while hearing a
petition by noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani and some former
bureaucrats on the issue of black money of Indians stashed
abroad and its repatriation, had asked the government to
ensure that Khan does not leave the country.
"It is your duty to ensure that he is available to
face prosecution," the court had said when Subramanium
informed it that Khan is in India and the government is taking
all necessary steps against him.
The bench also queried whether Hasan Ali Khan can be
made a party to the proceedings before it.