SC pulls up Centre on Hasan Ali case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court onThursday questioned the government over the progress made into investigations onHasan Ali, the main accused in the multi-billion-dollar money laundering and taxevasion case. "What is in the way of taking action against HasanAli," the court questioned the Centre. “How many years will investigationscontinue against Ali?” it added. The court said the matter was serious andit did not want any delay.The Supreme Court wanted to know whycustodial interrogation of Hasan Ali and other alleged black money launderershad not taken place yet. The apex court also ordered forthwith reinstatement of three key ED officials allegedly transferred midway into the probe in a case of foreign exchange law violation by the Pune businessman Hasan Ali Khan. A bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar alsoindicated that if the government fails to act, it would be compelled to appointa special officer for supervising the probe against the offenders, PTI reported.It also asked the government not to treat LGT Bank account holdersas mere tax evaders but investigate their source of blackmoney.Khan, who is alleged to have stashed around USD 8 billion inforeign banks, had been earlier served tax notice for about Rs 50,000 crore.When Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium tried to make certainsubmissions, the bench virtually snubbed him, saying, "What the hell is going onin this country." It then said it was very unfortunate that thethree key officials of the Enforcement Directorate investigating the black moneyscandal have been abruptly transferred midway into the investigation.The bench granted time till Tuesday to the Centre to file itsresponse failing which it said the court would be constrained to pass necessaryorders.The apex court has been putting pressure on the Centre todivulge the names of foreign bank account holders who allegedly stashed blackmoney while asking it to ensure that one of the main suspects Hasan Ali Khan didnot leave the country.