New Delhi: Government on Saturday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the action taken by it on the issue of black money stashed in foreign banks.
The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL filed by former Law Minister and eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani and five others who have been seeking a direction for the government to take action to bring back money to the tune of Rs 70 lakh crore stashed in foreign banks.
When the petition was mentioned on April 22 before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium had questioned the timing of raising the issue when the elections were underway.
He had said that action was already taken on the issue when it came to light in February 2008 and "the situation is totally under control".
Sabha Subhash Kashyap, who are petitioners, have alleged that government was not taking action on the issue.
However, the ASG had refuted the allegation saying that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his opening speech at the recent G-20 submit in London, had said that "there should be an absolute transparency and banking secrecy should be over".
The PIL assumes importance as BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani besides Left parties and others have been pressing the government to approach the foreign banks for bringing back the black money.
They had said the situation was alarming as the Swiss Bank authorities have said that Indians tops the list of depositors with around Rs 1.5 trillion deposited with it.
The six petitioners, whom their counsel Anil Divan described as "super senior" citizens, have submitted that if the Rs 70 lakh crore, purportedly stashed in foreign banks, are retrieved it would substantially remove poverty in the country and promote its development.
The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL filed by former Law Minister and eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani and five others who have been seeking a direction for the government to take action to bring back money to the tune of Rs 70 lakh crore stashed in foreign banks.
When the petition was mentioned on April 22 before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium had questioned the timing of raising the issue when the elections were underway.
He had said that action was already taken on the issue when it came to light in February 2008 and "the situation is totally under control".
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Sabha Subhash Kashyap, who are petitioners, have alleged that government was not taking action on the issue.
However, the ASG had refuted the allegation saying that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his opening speech at the recent G-20 submit in London, had said that "there should be an absolute transparency and banking secrecy should be over".
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The PIL assumes importance as BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani besides Left parties and others have been pressing the government to approach the foreign banks for bringing back the black money.
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They had said the situation was alarming as the Swiss Bank authorities have said that Indians tops the list of depositors with around Rs 1.5 trillion deposited with it.
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The six petitioners, whom their counsel Anil Divan described as "super senior" citizens, have submitted that if the Rs 70 lakh crore, purportedly stashed in foreign banks, are retrieved it would substantially remove poverty in the country and promote its development.
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