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All money in Swiss bank not black, will get all black money data by 2019: Piyush Goel

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All money in Swiss bank not black, will get all black money data by 2019: Piyush Goel

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Attacked and mocked by Opposition and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy over report of 50% rise in money deposited by Indians in Swiss banks in 2017, acting finance minister in Narendra Modi government, Piyush Goyal came up with some dubious claims and promises on Friday, June 29.

He questioned how all the money could be assumed to be illegal and said India will get all data on black money from Switzerland by the end of fiscal 2019.

“We will have all the info and if anybody is found guilty, strict action will be taken,” Goyal told reporters in New Delhi. “Today, nobody has the guts to save money outside the country. And it has been possible only because of the government’s hard work,” the caretaker Finance Minister said.

“Agreement between India and Switzerland has this. From January 1, 2018 till end of accounting year (ends March 31, 2019), all data will be made available. Why assume this is black money or illegal transactions?” Piyush Goyal said, referring to the report.

Around 40 per cent of this money is because of the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), Goyal said. Under the scheme, an individual can remit up to USD 2,50,000 in a foreign account per year.

India has a treaty with Switzerland under which the Swiss government would provide all data from January 1, 2018 till December 31, 2018. India would get data as the accounting year ends, Goyal said.

“We will have all information. If someone is found guilty, the government will take strong action against them,” the Finance Minister said.

While Switzerland has already begun sharing foreign client details on evidence of wrongdoing provided by India and some other countries, it has agreed to further expand its cooperation on India’s fight against black money with a new pact for automatic information exchange.

India and Switzerland have held several rounds of discussions on the new framework on exchange of financial data, and also for fast-tracking exchange of pending information requests about suspected illegal accounts of Indians in Swiss banks.

About an hour after Piyush Goyal’s remarks, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to take a swipe at the Modi government over what he claimed was the government’s inability to win the fight against black money.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Data released by Swiss National Bank reveal that after declining for three successive years, money deposited by Indians in Swiss banks rose 50 per cent to CHF (Swiss Franc) 1.02 billion (Rs 7,000 crore) in 2017 over the previous year.

In comparison, the total funds held by all foreign clients of Swiss banks rose about 3 per cent to CHF 1.46 trillion or about Rs 100 lakh crore in 2017, according to data released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), the central banking authority of the Alpine nation.

Indian money in Swiss banks had fallen by 45 per cent in 2016, marking their biggest ever yearly plunge, to 676 million Swiss francs (Rs. 4,500 crore) – the lowest ever since Switzerland began making the data public in 1987.

In November 2016, the government had withdrawn high-value currency notes from circulation overnight. PM Minister Narendra Modi had said demonetisation would wipe out black money from the system.

The rupee has also been under severe stress. On Thursday, it breached the 69-mark against the US dollar for the first time, ending the day at an all-time low of 68.79.

The government came under severe attack from Opposition and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy hit out at the government for its failure in curbing generation of black money. Writing on his Twitter handle, Swamy said, “Secret Swiss bank accounts deposits from global sources rose by three per cent in last 12 months. Indians’ deposits however grew 50 per cent.”[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The Congress in a tweet said, “One of PM Modi’s long-standing campaign promises of bringing back black money falls flat. While you sit and wait for your promised Rs 15 lakh, more capital has flown the coop.”

Congress leader and former Union minister Manish Tewari also hit out at the Centre.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Tweeting a caricature on the development, the Aam Aadmi Party said the black money parked in foreign lands will not return in PM Modi’s government.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury alleged that prime minister has no time or intention to remember the tall promises he made in 2014.

“From falsifying history to making new promises, Jumlaman has no time or intention to remember tall promises he made in 2014. From depositing 15 lakh in each bank account to making Rupee stronger to doubling farmers’ income, he has only insulted and humiliated us Indians,” he said in a tweet.

In another tweet, Yechury said the data is no surprise since the “Modi government writes off lakhs of crores of unpaid loans of crony corporate and businessmen flee India after looting public money under his watch”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Omar Abdullah hits back at BJP over Rs 100 crore legal notice, says party is hiding behind court

Omar Abdullah has responded to the BJP’s Rs 100 crore legal notice, accusing the party of avoiding political debate and announcing legal action against BJP leaders.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday responded sharply after receiving a Rs 100 crore legal notice from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of avoiding a political confrontation by taking the matter to court.

The BJP’s notice demands that Abdullah either apologise or provide evidence to support his allegation that BJP leaders had offered between Rs 20 crore and Rs 30 crore to National Conference (NC) legislators to persuade them to switch sides.

Omar Abdullah calls legal notice a ‘love letter’

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said he had received an electronic copy of the legal notice and described it as a “love letter” from the BJP.

He said he viewed the notice as a sign that the BJP considered him a significant political opponent.

“I am perhaps the only politician who has been bestowed with a ‘love letter’ like this by the BJP. I consider this a mark of respect that I am obviously a political force they cannot ignore,” Abdullah said.

Says BJP chose court over political response

Abdullah criticised the BJP for pursuing legal action instead of responding politically to his allegations.

He said he deliberately made the remarks at a political event rather than in the Assembly, where statements are protected from legal challenge, because he expected a political rebuttal.

According to Abdullah, the BJP’s decision to approach the court reflected its style of handling political disputes.

National Conference to initiate legal action

The Chief Minister also announced that the National Conference would begin issuing legal notices to BJP leaders in Jammu and Kashmir over what he described as unfounded and defamatory allegations against his party.

He said senior BJP leaders had been making slanderous remarks against the National Conference over the past few months and that the party would now respond through legal channels.

Abdullah added that the National Conference would serve legal notices to those leaders and see how the legal process unfolds.

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PM Modi to visit Punjab on July 17, launch railway projects as BJP prepares for solo poll battle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on July 17 to inaugurate the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station and launch key railway projects as the BJP prepares to contest future elections independently in the state.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on July 17 to inaugurate and lay the foundation for multiple railway projects, marking his first visit to the state since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided to contest future elections independently in Punjab.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station, which has been modernised under the Centre’s Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The 110-year-old station is among 75 railway stations across the country scheduled to be inaugurated as part of the government’s railway modernisation programme.

The redevelopment aims to improve passenger amenities, enhance station accessibility and transform railway stations into modern transport hubs.

New train service between Jalandhar and Varanasi

Apart from inaugurating the upgraded station, PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the Shri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj Express, a new train service connecting Jalandhar and Varanasi.

Named after Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, the train is intended to strengthen connectivity between Punjab and Varanasi, where the revered saint spent a significant part of his life. Guru Ravidass is widely respected for promoting equality and social justice, and his teachings continue to hold special significance in Punjab, particularly among the Scheduled Caste community.

Visit comes amid changing political landscape

The Prime Minister’s visit comes at a time when political activity has intensified in Punjab ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The BJP recently announced that it would contest future elections in Punjab without entering into alliances, making this visit politically significant as the party seeks to strengthen its independent presence in the state.

Party leaders have projected the visit as development-focused, highlighting infrastructure initiatives and improved connectivity. In social media posts, Punjab BJP leaders welcomed the Prime Minister and described the visit as an important occasion for the state.

Security and preparations underway

Authorities have stepped up preparations for the Prime Minister’s programme in Jalandhar. Security arrangements are being reviewed while logistical preparations at the railway station are underway to ensure the smooth conduct of the visit.

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Rs 1,160 crore rice diversion case widens, 56 mills and 22 ethanol plants under investigation

Authorities have expanded the alleged Rs 1,160 crore government rice diversion investigation, bringing 56 rice mills and 22 ethanol plants under scrutiny over suspected misuse of subsidised rice meant for ethanol production.

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Government agencies have widened their investigation into an alleged Rs 1,160 crore rice diversion case, bringing 56 private rice mills and 22 ethanol plants across 17 districts under scrutiny. The probe is focused on determining whether subsidised government rice allocated for ethanol production was diverted through private mills instead of being used for its intended purpose.

Investigation expands after truck found at private rice mill

The investigation began after a truck transporting government rice from a Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouse to an ethanol plant was allegedly found inside a private rice mill. What initially appeared to be an isolated incident has now expanded into a multi-district probe involving 17 seized trucks, over 50 witness statements and multiple accused.

Authorities are trying to establish how much of the nearly 5 lakh metric tonnes of government rice supplied to ethanol plants was actually converted into ethanol and whether a portion of it was diverted before returning to government warehouses.

Alleged circular trade under investigation

Investigators suspect that subsidised rice supplied to ethanol plants at around Rs 2,320 per quintal may have been sold to private rice mill operators at higher prices instead of being processed into ethanol.

According to the investigation, the rice was allegedly repacked by private mills and deposited back into government warehouses as custom-milled rice. Officials are also examining whether the original paddy supplied for milling was sold separately in the open market or transported to other states, potentially allowing multiple profits from the same stock.

Authorities believe the alleged arrangement, if established, could have enabled financial gains at several stages while avoiding actual ethanol production.

Officials examining monitoring failures

The investigation is also looking into whether lapses in monitoring or possible collusion allowed government rice to re-enter official warehouses without proper verification.

Officials are checking whether rice previously released under the ethanol scheme was accepted again as newly milled stock through the custom milling system.

Police register FIR, arrest four accused

Balaghat Superintendent of Police Aditya Mishra said the case began after authorities received information about three trucks carrying government rice from FCI warehouses to the AVJ Agrico ethanol plant. During a joint inspection by Revenue, Food and Police officials, one truck was allegedly found inside Sancheti Rice Mill, leading to the registration of an FIR for cheating.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising 20 to 25 members was subsequently formed.

According to the police, investigators have so far:

  • Arrested four people
  • Identified more than 13 accused
  • Recorded statements of over 50 witnesses
  • Issued notices to 56 rice mills
  • Seized 17 trucks
  • Obtained non-bailable warrants against two individuals

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and further action will be taken based on new evidence.

Production records and transport data under verification

Investigators are comparing FCI dispatch records with ethanol production data, transport logs, warehouse receipts and custom milling records.

Authorities are also examining production capacity, electricity consumption, machinery usage and raw material records at ethanol plants to verify whether the quantity of rice supplied matches actual ethanol output.

Similar verification is underway at rice mills to determine whether their claimed milling operations correspond with electricity consumption, labour deployment and machinery records.

Use of fortified rice raises additional questions

The case has drawn additional attention because the grain under scrutiny was fortified rice, which is enriched with iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 to help address anaemia and malnutrition among children, pregnant women and adolescent girls.

Investigators are examining why fortified rice was supplied for ethanol production when distilleries generally use broken rice as feedstock. They are also looking into whether FCI followed stock rotation norms while allocating rice under the scheme.

Collector sought wider scrutiny

Confidential communications from the Balaghat Collector reportedly recommended verification of whether rice released for ethanol production actually reached the designated plants. The Collector also sought scrutiny of the allocation process, transportation chain, utilisation certificates and the roles of FCI officials, ethanol companies, transporters and rice mill owners.

The investigation currently covers nearly 5 lakh metric tonnes (50 lakh quintals) of government rice, valued at approximately Rs 1,160 crore at the subsidised allocation price.

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