File picture of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court today censured the government for failing to take strong steps to recover the black money or undeclared income stashed by Indians in the tax haven of Liechtenstein.
The judges said the inaction amounts to contempt of court and demanded an explanation for why the government has failed to provide information on its investigation to the petitioner, Ram Jethmalani, noted lawyer and parliamentarian.
The details must be furnished by April 29, when the case will next be heard, the court said.
The government had, last month, unsuccessfully asked the court to drop an independent committee appointed to finalize a blueprint for retrieving vast amounts of black money. In 2011, the Supreme Court set up this committee - a Special Investigation Team - which includes two retired judges of the top court. The chiefs of the Research and Analysis Wing and Intelligence Bureau should also be members, the Supreme Court had said.
The committee has yet to be formed by the government, which has been arguing that agencies like the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are capable of handling the probe and a court-supervised investigation is not needed.
The Supreme Court was urged to push the government into action by Mr Jethmalani.
In February this year, he said the government should be asked to urgently share a "list of names of those having accounts in Liechtenstein Bank with respect of whom investigations have been concluded, either partially or wholly, and show cause notices issued and proceedings initiated."