New Delhi: The
Income Tax Department has started sending notices to persons involved in black
money cases on the basis of information received from abroad, even as Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee said their names would be disclosed after initiation
of prosecution proceedings.
The notices are being sent by the Directorate of
Criminal Investigation (DCI) to individuals and entities across countries
following scrutiny of classified banking data received from foreign countries
about Swiss Bank accounts.
"As and when the information (is received),
investigation starts, prosecution takes place (and) matter comes to the court.
Then, as per the existing treaty terms, we can reveal the names in cases of
prosecution by the Income Tax Department," Mukherjee told reporters here when
asked whether the government has received information about industrialists and
MPs in connection with black money.
The minister had earlier said the
government has received information from France about the overseas bank accounts
of Indians. "In 69 cases, the taxpayers have admitted to unaccounted income of
Rs 397.17 crore. Taxes of Rs 30.07 crore have also been paid," he had
said.
India, according to the Finance Ministry, has so far received over
9,900 pieces of information from several countries regarding suspicious
transactions by Indian citizens, which are now under different stages of
processing and investigation.
The Department of Criminal Investigation will
initiate legal proceedings in several cases in the next few months, sources
said, adding that the cases would be dealt with under criminal provisions of the
IT Act.
In a number of cases being probed by the DCI, the department plans to
conducts searches and surveys for obtaining additional information.