‘Panama Papers’: Black money SIT to investigate list
New Delhi: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money Monday said it will investigate thoroughly the reported secret list of about 500 prominent Indians including actors, politicians and businessmen who have allegedly stashed money in offshore entities in tax haven Panama.
“Investigations are being carried out. We are going to investigate it (the list) thoroughly,” SIT Chairman Justice (retd) M B Shah told PTI.
The Vice Chairman of the panel, Justice (retd) Arijit Pasayat, said they have asked agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, IT Department and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to make an assessment of the list and prepare a report in this regard.
“We want to know what is the truth behind these. The SIT did not have these reports. Maybe, the investigative agencies had. So, once they submit a report to us then we can take the required action,” Pasayat said.
The list has been brought by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in collaboration with news publications across the globe including India and pertains to offshore investments made by Indians between a period of 1977 and 2015.
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The latest list, after similar ones came in the the past like ‘Swiss leaks’ and the HSBC-list related to Indians, claims it has sourced data in connection to millions of documents which show heads of state, criminals and celebrities using “secret hideaways” in tax haven country of Panama.
However, ICIJ adds a disclaimer that there are also “legitimate uses for offshore companies”.
They, however, said some of the entities named in the list are already being investigated by ED and IT Department either by way of their disclosures made to them under the law or by way of intelligence inputs received in the past.
The international organisation said it possesses digital records and documents, emails and invoices to authenticate its claims which talk about multiple personalities and entities from across the globe.
The links published today by ICIJ names at least two people with Indian connections whereas the collaborating newspaper, ‘The Indian Express’, named about a dozen individuals and entities in the case.
The setting up of the SIT on black money was notified by the government in 2014 on the direction of the Supreme Court to look into cases of Indians holding illegal assets overseas.
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Source:zeenews
