SIT to go after blackmoney offenders: Justice Shah

The Supreme Court-appointed SIT, looking into the blackmoney cases, today said it will go after the offenders "big or small" and will submit its report by the first week of December.
It also made clear that confidentiality about account holders abroad will not be violated. The SIT said it was gathering more names other than the over 600 account holders in HSBC bank, Geneva, given by the government to Supreme Court yesterday, for investigation.
"The second report would be given to Supreme Court on December 3 or 4," Justice Shah told PTI after a meeting of SIT members here today. Its first report was submitted in August this year.

The panel said that everyone was equal before it and it would not spare any offender.
"Before us, nobody is big, nobody is small. Everybody is equal. Whoever has looted this country will be caught and will be punished, economically and otherwise also. That we assure," Vice Chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat said.
Justice Shah said up till now they have decided a number of cases against the big personalities of the country. "We won't bother who is big. We will treat them equally with a poorest person of the country," he said. Both are retired judges of Supreme Court.

Amidst a raging debate over disclosure of names of foreign bank accounts holders that could threaten future cooperation with other countries, the SIT chairman said confidentiality agreement cannot be violated.

"Confidentiality clause is there and for the time being we have to respect it unless the other country (says)...
"Confidentiality is an international agreement. You cannot violate the agreement. If you violate it, further information would not be given by them and confirmation by other country is necessary. There is a proof that man is having that account. That proof you won't get it," he said.