Black Money: Govt names 8 account holders, Oppn calls it 'selective' approach

The Centre revealed the names of three entities (eight persons in all), including the Dabur group top shot, as those who had stashed away black money abroad, before the Supreme Court.

Pradip Burman of Dabur India, Rajkot-based bullion trader Pankaj Chimanlal Lodhya and Goa-based mining company Timblo Private Limited and its five Directors were among the names that figured in the list which was filed in the apex court by the government.

Hours after the Centre  filed an affidavit revealing the names of 3 black money account holders in Supreme Court, the opposition parties including Congress and AAP took a dig at the BJP-led NDA government.

"The government can disclose all the names on the list to the court as per law. The government needs to make it clear to the public what its responsibility is." said senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid.

The former Union Minister also said, "Whatever names they have given, if they feel it’s right then let them go ahead. We have no issues about the government releasing names. But selective naming should not be done."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal made the same allegations.

Kejriwal tweeted: "Swiss bank list contains Mukesh Ambani's name. Prime minister inaugurated his hospital recently. PMO tweeted Nita Ambani's speech. Msg was clear that PM is v close to Mukesh Ambani. Then how can u expect income tax dept to reveal his name or take action against him."

"PM nominated Anil Ambani as one of the nine swach bharat ambassadors. Msg clear. Anil Ambani close to PM. How can IT dept act against him?." he said.

Kejriwal was referring to the inauguration of the Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital & Research Centre in Mumbai on Saturday. Modi had inaugurated it.

Kejriwal further tweeted: "Radha Timbolo donated 1.1 cr to BJP n 65 lakhs to cong. This shows that swiss bank acc holders have relations wid both parties. Timbolo's amount is peanuts. If entire list is disclosed and investigated, both parties will be completely exposed."

Dabur immediately in a statement said their account is legal. Burman was the Executive Director of Dabur group.

"We wish to state that this account was opened when he was an NRI, and was legally allowed to open this account. We have followed all the laws and the complete details regarding the account have been voluntarily, and as per law, filed with the Income Tax Department, and appropriate taxes paid, wherever applicable," the statement on behalf of Burman of Dabur quoted in media said. "Therefore, it is unfortunate that every person having a foreign bank account is being painted with the same brush," it said.

Lodhiya denied having a Swiss bank account. "We have already declared in the income tax and there is nothing...we don't have any Swiss account that is the only thing which I can say," he said.

Radha Timblo of Timblo Private Limited, declined to comment on her name being mentioned in the affidavit, saying she has to first study it before commenting. It has been learnt that the list included Timblo Private Limited and its Directors Radha Satish Timblo, Chetan S Timblo, Rohan S Timblo, Anna C Timblo and Mallika R Timblo.

But, noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Monday took a dig at the Centre accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government of being showing lackadaisical approach towards the recovery of black money from abroad.

"In this case I am not the counsel, I am the party. To put it in one line, it is a case of a mountain of labour producing a mouse," Jethmalani has been quoted by media as saying in New Delhi.

As a matter of fact, based on a petition filed by Jethmalani, the apex court earlier set up a special committee to look at how to recover black money. The case was brought to the top court by Jethmalani in 2009.

On Monday Jethmalani accused the Centre of not setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe black money cases.