New Delhi, Oct 27 (India Today): The Central government disclosed the names of three Indians holding illegal foreign bank accounts in an affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court on Monday. The three names are Dabur chairman Pradeep Burman, Rajkot-based bullion trader Pankaj Chalamanlal Lodhia and Goa-based mining baron Radha Timblo.
In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had promised to bring back the black money alleged stashed in foreign banks. However, a controversial application submitted in the Supreme Court earlier this month expressed the NDA government's inability to reveal the names because of bilateral double taxation treaties India has signed with many countries - an argument that the previous UPA government had also used when the case was heard during their tenure.
The Modi government's U-turn on black money was severely criticised by the opposition parties, especially the Congress, which accused the Centre of doublespeak and politicising the issue.
The Centre's stand also prompted senior Supreme Court lawyer and main petitioner in the black money case, Ram Jethmalani, to write a scathing letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, accusing him of taking an "ill-advised" stand on the issue in the apex court.
When asked about the letter, Ram Jethmalani on Friday told reporters that he did it as a citizen of India. "I don't care about the BJP. I care about the people of India, it is your money," he said.
Jethmalani's sharp reactions on the black money row came shortly after the Congress said it will not be embarrassed if a name belonging to the party figures in the list of Indians holding illegal foreign bank accounts, calling it an "individual transgression".
Earlier this week, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had warned the Congress of embarrassment when the list of Indians hoarding black money in other countries is revealed.
"Whatever name is there will embarrass the individual, the party won't be. These are individual transgressions," Jaitley's predecessor as Union Finance Minister and senior Congress spokesperson, P Chidambaram, told a TV channel on Friday.