Not sure BJP will get black money from tax dens of Panama: Cong

Taking a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, the Congress Party on Tuesday said it has no faith that the BJP dispensation would retrieve black money from the tax dens of those who are featured in the leaked Panama Papers.

Congress leader P.C. Chako told ANI that the government has not taken any effective measures to bring the black money back.

"The fact remains that in the past 20 months a government which came to power with a promise of bringing back black money did not do anything effectively. If the Government would have been serious in this regard it would have constituted a committee initially. What many governments could not do a group of journalist have done that, now the government has no option but to act on it," said Chako.

"Looking at the government's record in Mallaya's and Lalit Modi's case I don't think that it will act against those who have violated Indian law. Many names which have been disclosed in the news papers are close to the government also," he added.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday said the government has constituted a multi-agency group to monitor all information and collect further information in this regard, and warned of strict action against those whose accounts were found to be unlawful.

The multi-agency group will comprise various government agencies that deal with the subject such as CDBT and FIOs, among others and also representatives from the Reserve Bank. They will continuously monitor this. And, whichever accounts are found to be unlawful, strict action as per the existing law is going to be taken against them.

The Panama papers reportedly feature the names of over 500 Indians linked to offshore firms.

According to a report appearing in the Indian Express, the Panama papers feature names such as film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, to corporates including DLF owner K.P. Singh and nine members of his family, and the promoters of Apollo Tyres and IndiaBulls to Gautam Adani's elder brother Vinod Adani. Two politicians who figure on the list are Shishir Bajoria from West Bengal and Anurag Kejriwal, the former chief of the Delhi unit of the Loksatta Party.