BJP leader L.K. Advani today asked the government to make public names of those who have stashed black money abroad and sought their immediate prosecution.
“Without any further delay prosecution must be initiated and appropriate follow up action taken,” Mr. Advani said referring to the people whose names have been provided to India by various foreign governments in this regard.
“Already there is a talk about three MPs having been identified, and the Government of France has given India a list of names of those possessing illegal wealth in Swiss and other foreign banks. The country eagerly expects their names to be made public. The UPA government will try to evade the issue once again, as has been its dismal record,” he told reporters here.
Mr. Advani said the Directorate of criminal investigation of Income Tax department had sent notices to persons involved in black money cases following scrutiny of classified banking data received from foreign countries about Swiss bank accounts.
“This is an issue on which there should be no hush hush...All information with the government on money stashed away abroad should be shared,” he demanded.
The BJP leader said, “I have repeatedly asked for a White Paper on the issue of black money giving facts, giving names and above all giving details of all the steps taken by the government to get back this money which legitimately belongs to India. I believe that it cannot be allowed to be kept in foreign banks.”
Mr. Advani said that the American think tank ‘Global Financial Integrity’ had estimated the amount of Indian black money in foreign banks at around Rs. 25 lakh crores. “It is a staggering amount,” he said, adding that this money should be used for the development of rural India.
