NEW DELHI, Mar 9(TOI): The Income-Tax Department has come across several foreign bank accounts and transactions, apart from the alleged $8 billion transfer from a Swiss bank, linked to Hasan Ali Khan and will submit a status report on the probe to the Supreme Court in 10 days.
On Tuesday, the apex court perused a probe status report against Khan, who has been arrested on charges of money laundering, and suggested that the agencies look into the possibility of his illegal activities that were endangering national security.
The court's focus on issues relating to Khan came to light when it expressed serious concern about the slow progress in investigations into the alleged passport forgery case against him.
A Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar asked Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam whether it would be appropriate to entrust the probe to the CBI. "Nothing is moving," it said.
Stung by the court's remark during Thursday's hearing -- "what the hell is going on this country" -- Subramaniam was eager to show the strides made by both I-T department and the Enforcement Directorate in their probes against Khan in the last three days.
"I must share with the court that I-T authorities have come across some very important documents since the last hearing on Thursday. The I-T department will file a separate status report in 10 days time," he said.
The SG's attempts to salvage the lost pride of the investigating agencies met with an unexpected query from the court. After perusing the status report submitted by ED, the Bench wanted to know the status of the probe against Khan who is facing adjudication proceedings for possessing three passports.
With ED's status report indicating the possibility of Khan having a few more passports, the Bench of Justices Reddy and Nijjar asked: "Chargesheet is yet to be filed against Khan. The investigations are going on and on in this case. So far as passport cases are concerned, will it be appropriate to give the multi-passport cases to CBI? Nothing is moving."
Petitioner and former law minister Ram Jethmalani's counsel Anil Divan objected to the ongoing adjudication proceedings in the passport case against Khan. He said: "Why should the adjudication proceedings go on when the investigations are underway? How can there be adjudication without the probe being complete?"
The SG was quick to see merit in the objection and said: "I will advise the authorities to suspend the adjudication proceedings pending investigations. I am sure that adjudication proceedings will not diminish the gravity of the offences under any other penal law. But, I am going to suggest suspension of the adjudication proceedings."