Black Money: No list of Indian stash, say Swiss authorities

Jaitley says ministry will write to Swiss authorities for list

By :  pawan bali
Update: 2014-06-24 04:19 GMT
Picture used for representational purpose. (Photo: PTI/File)
New Delhi: The Swiss government on Monday denied outright that it is preparing a list of suspected Indian tax evaders or had plans to prepare one to be given to India.
 
“It is completely wrong. There is no list,” Swiss spokesman Mario Tuor, from the department handling international financial affairs, told this newspaper over the phone from Bern.
 
Also read: Black money SIT decides to solve tax treaties' secrecy puzzle
 
A news agency report, widely reported in the media,  had quoted unnamed Swiss government officials claiming that it has prepared a list of Indians suspected to have stashed black money in Swiss banks, and that details of this would be shared with the Indian government.
 
Also read: India soon to get a list of individuals suspected to have un-taxed money in swiss banks
 
Mr Tuor said that he was aware of the reports in the Indian media, but these were not correct.
 
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Monday that his ministry will write to the Swiss authorities to expedite information on Indians who have unaccounted money in banks there. Mr Jaitley said that his ministry is yet to receive any official communication from Switzerland on the “black money” suspected to be stashed in Swiss banks.
 
Also read: Black money: Swiss government prepares list of individuals but India has no information
 
A Swiss embassy statement in New Delhi said that there was no new development. “Since a high-level Swiss delegation met its India counterparts in New Delhi in February 2014, no further official meeting has taken place”, it said.
 
Mr Tuor said the Indian government had requested details of some people from the Swiss government. “As per our laws, we can’t provide information based on stolen data. The list which was given to us by India was based on stolen data, so we couldn’t give details,” said Mr Tuor. However, he said if some information is sought within the legal framework and as per the bilateral agreements, the Swiss government will look into it.
 
Also read: Indian stash in Swiss bank at Rs 14,000 crore

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