Jaitley: Serious about pursuing black money cases
Ram Jethmalani: Sir, the question of black money has been tormenting the whole world, so much so that in 2000, the United Nations studied this problem of black money...(Interruptions).
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Hamid Ansari: Please ask the question... (Interruptions)... Please ask the supplementary question... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, the supplementary question is this. Do you know that a task force of the BJP had studied this problem in that major report?... (Interruptions)... In the report, it was estimated that ~90 lakh crore equivalent to $1,500 billion had been stolen from this country and deposited in foreign banks... (Interruptions)... Sir, $1500 billion... (Interruptions). Ansari: What is the question?... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: And here is a person who tells you that we should at least know that all estimates are wrong... (Interruptions).
Ansari: No, no, that is a statement... (Interruptions)... What is the question?... (Interruptions)... Please, please... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: He is a * to the BJP. He is a *. Ansari: What is the question?... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: I am now asking the question... (Interruptions)... They will have all the time to say that they are ignorant of everything... (Interruptions)... So, the first statement about the... (Interruptions).
Ansari: No, no, just the question and nothing else... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, my next question is this... (Interruptions)... Sir, they don’t want to listen... (Interruptions).
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: He should ask only the supplementary question... (Interruptions)... What is this, one question, next question and next question! What is going on? Jethmalani: Sir, I am running my 94th year of life. Jethmalani: And look at these young men, they don’t have the courtesy... (Interruptions). Ansari: Please ask your question... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: They should sit and listen... (Interruptions). Ansari: What is the question?... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: You will be * of yourself after hearing me... (Interruptions). Ansari: No, no, go ahead and ask your question... (Interruptions)... Please, you are a senior member... (Interruptions)... Please ask your question... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, I am asking my question just now... (Interruptions)... Please, hear the question... (Interruptions)... Hear the question... (Interruptions). Ansari: Let us hear the question... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, the government of Germany... Ansari: No, no, Jethmalaniji, precious time is being lost... (Interruptions)... Please ask your question... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: But, sir, for being able to be heard, I need to have some silence, some measures taken... (Interruptions)... Sir, you must expel all of them if they don’t want the House to continue otherwise... (Interruptions). Ansari: This is an interesting suggestion but un-implementable.
Jethmalani: But, sir, how? Ansari: What is the question? Please ask your question and leave the Chair to do its duty... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, the question is simple. In pursuance of the UN’s action on black money and corruption, the German government, ultimately, paid a bribe of $475 million to an employee of the Lichtenstein Bank and that employee provided 1,400 signatures of dacoits from the world over. The German government made an announcement that the largest number of dacoits in this list are Indians. The German government made an offer that if India wants, we will give the names and disclose all the information to the Indian government. But, neither the ruling party nor the Opposition party went there and... (Interruptions). Naqvi: Sir, what is going on? This is bhashan... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Stop it. You don’t interrupt . ... (Interruptions)... You know nothing... (Interruptions).
Ansari: I will now take the next question. Shri Vijayasai Reddy... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, despite... (Interruptions)... Sir, this is not the way... (Interruptions).
Ansari: The hon Leader of the House will answer. ...(Interruptions) .... Please. I want silence .... (Interruptions) .... Let everybody sit down.
Digvijaya Singh: Sir, let him ask his question. Ansari: You cannot take 10 minutes to ask a supplementary question.
Jethmalani: What do you mean?... (Interruptions)... I will finish it in two minutes provided they are silent and maintain good manners... (Interruptions).
Ansari: Okay; can you please now quickly ask your question, not make a statement?... (Interruptions).
Jethmalani: Sir, I want to ask them the question. Did you make any effort to avail of the offer publicly made by the German government that we have a list of 1,400 * amongst whom, the majority, unfortunately, belong to my nation and... (Interruptions). Did you make any effort to get the names from the Germans... (interruptions) .... of their offer... (Interruptions).
Ansari: Thank you. Let the answer be given... (Interruptions) .... Now, the hon finance minister. You have asked your question. Now please sit down... (Interruptions).
Arun Jaitley: Sir, despite all the confusion, the gist of the question, as I understand, is that it relates to the HSBC accounts, the details of which were provided to the government of India. Now, under different treaties, the information had come to us, and some of the evidence in relation to this was in Switzerland. All steps, in this regard, have been taken by the government. Of the 628 persons who were named, each one of them has been investigated. In many accounts monies were found. In some accounts it was not found. Of all those accounts, assessments have been completed in 409 cases. Of these 409 cases, ~8,437 crore has been assessed, and 190 prosecutions have been filed. Therefore, no one member of this House should be under the impression that every other section of this House is not serious as far as pursuing these cases are concerned... (Interruptions).