Were govt agencies sleeping all these years on blacmoney? SC

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) Coming down hard on the
Government on the issue of blackmoney, the Supreme Court
of India Thursday asked why it was "sleeping" all these years
and now focussing only on Hasan Ali Khan and not disclosing
names of others who have stashed money in foreign banks.
The apex court, which has ticked off the Government
agencies for its slow pace in probing the matter, also voiced
its disapproval over no progress being made on its suggestion
for a thorough probe by a Special Investigating Team.
"Was the Government sleeping all these years on the
issue of blackmoney," the court asked.
The apex court said the investigation into the issue
of black money required "complete" and "full-fledged"
involvement of government as the most important question was
about the disclosure of source of money kept in foreign banks
which may be terror money or money coming from drug
peddaling.
A bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar
asked the governemnt to explain why its investigation is
focussed only on Pune stud farm owner Hassan Ali, accused of
money laundering and largescale tax evasion, and no other name
has come out.
"Your whole focus is centred on one individual. Does
it mean that all the blackmoney parked in foreign banks
belongs to only one person. Is it that blackmoney issue is
surrounding around one person. Do you have information beyond
that," the bench asked.
Putting the Government in a tight corner, the bench
said, "We put it very simply and bluntly. Do you have any
information regarding other persons also? It seems there is
only one person (Indian) who has bank account in Switzerland
and no other persons' account has come under suspicion in
Swiss banks," the bench asked the governemnt.
Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said that the
matter has to be investigated on different fronts and the
court should ask the Resserve Bank of India to file a report
on blackmoney stashed in UBS bank, Switzerland on the basis of
which further action could be taken.
He said the issue of passport case should be
investigated by the CBI, India's premier investigating agency,
as the offence in this ragard was not only restricted to
western Indian state of Maharashtra but to other states and
earliers also it was stated that "it is not an offence
simplicitor".
Not impressed by the arguments of the government, the
bench said, "Do you want to say that all government agencies
were sleeping till now on this issue. Now you are saying that
different aspects of the case has to be handled by different
agencies."
The bench said the source of money has to be found
"whether it was a terror money or money coming from drug
peddling".
"We are very clear in our mind that more than one
agency is required to conduct investigation and it should be
monitored by a person of eminance which could be retired Chief
Justice of High Court," the court said.