On a day when the Centre submitted to the Supreme Court names of the 627 people believed to be holding accounts in foreign banks, noted anti-corruption crusader and social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday raised doubts over the BJP-NDA government’s intention to bring back black money stashed in foreign locations.
Hazare said, “Prime Minister Modi ji and his party had assured people to bring back black money in 100 days after coming to power, 150 days have passed and nothing concrete has been done till now.”
The Gandhian leader continued by saying, “Only eight names have been exposed yet, Country is hopeful, when will all the names be exposed?”.
The anti-corruption crusader also warned that if the Centre fails to bring back black money, people of the nation will have to resort to a movement.
The reaction from the social activist came shortly after the Centre submitted to the Supreme Court names of the 627 people who are holding accounts in foreign banks revealed to it by the French government.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi handed over two sealed envelopes to the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu.
Rohatgi said that half of these account holders are Indian residents and the other half are Non-Resident Indians. These accounts pertain up to 2006.
He said that action has been initiated into the matter. Some of them have paid taxes while others are under investigation.
He also told the court the Income Tax Act has been amended to extend the limitation period up to March 31, 2015, for recovering taxes from these account holders. Under the earlier provision, a limitation period for recovery of taxes was six years which in these cases came to an end in 2012.
The court directed that the sealed envelopes containing 627 names, including correspondence with the French government, be given to Special Investigation Team (SIT) chairman Justice M.B. Shah and vice chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat. The SIT was set up by the apex court July 4, 2011.
