Courts angry as Centre has failed to bring back black money: BJP

In the wake of the Supreme Court appointing an SIT to look into the black money issue, BJP on Saturday said courts as well as the people were angry with the government for its "failure" to bring back the illegal funds stashed abroad.

In the wake of the Supreme Court appointing an SIT to look into the black money issue, BJP on Saturday said courts as well as the people were angry with the government for its "failure" to bring back the illegal funds stashed abroad.

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"Legally the government has a right to challenge the court order and seek a review on the formation of SIT to investigate the black money issue. But at the same time, let us not forget that the courts and people are angry as the government has failed to bring back black money," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

He claimed that though the government had promised to bring back the illegal money within 100 days of assuming power in 2009, it has not done so till now.

Referring to the Hasan Ali case, Javadekar said the government has only booked him in a case of Income tax avoidance, instead of pressing criminal charges against him for acquiring disproportionate wealth through dubious means.

"Moreover, the Double Taxation avoidance treaty that India has signed with 40 countries are with prospective effect," Javadekar said, adding due to this those who had looted the country for the last 60 years will be spared.

He alleged that though the government could get the bank account details of Indians holding accounts in tax havens abroad till now, the UPA dispensation was only interested in a treaty with prospective effect.

"The money kept abroad is crime money which was made through illegal transactions, sale of drugs, etc. The government should first register a case against the culprits and then pursue it abroad," Javadekar said.

BJP has listed this issue for discussion in the forthcoming session of Parliament.