SC to hear black money case Feb 19

The Supreme Court Friday said it would hear Feb 19 a plea by counsel Ram Jethmalani seeking enforcement of the court's July 4, 2011, order that had directed the setting up of a special investigating team headed by two former judges to monitor a probe into stashing away of black money in tax havens.

A bench of Justice B. Sudershan Reddy (since retired) and Justice S.S. Nijjar by their July 2011 judgment had appointed the SIT headed by former judge B.P. Jeevan Reddy with Justice M.B. Shah as his deputy.

Directing the hearing of the matter Feb 19, the apex court bench of Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Madan B. Lokur observed that the court understood the importance of the matter before it.

The matter is before the three-judge bench following a split verdict between the then Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice S.S. Nijjar on the maintainability of the central government's pleas seeking recall and modification of the July 2011 order.

The apex court bench of Justice Kabir (since retired) and Justice Nijjar Sep 23, 2011, referred to Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia (since retired) the maintainability of the central government's application seeking recall of the July 2011 judgment setting up a SIT to probe black money.

Jethmalani, seeking an expeditious hearing of the matter, has maintained that since the July 2011 order for setting up of the SIT has not been stayed, so it is enforceable.

Pointing out that two years have passed since the July 2011 judgment was delivered, yet "no steps have been taken by the respondents (central government) in compliance with the directions of the apex court".

The centre on the other hand, seeking the recall and modification of the July 2011 order, is also pressing for an early hearing of the matter.

The apex court by the July 2011 order had also asked the government to disclose the names of those having accounts in Liechtenstein Bank and about whom the investigations are either complete or progressing.