Advani wants names of lawmakers with accounts in off-shore banks

Chandigarh, Nov 17 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani on Thursday urged the central government to divulge the name of three lawmakers who had stashed black money in off-shore banks.

"Reports have been published that there are name of three MPs. Who are those three MPs? I would like to know as a MP. In the coming session (of Parliament), I expect that the government would take a clear stand on these issues," Advani told the media here.

As per reports, an estimated 500 billion dollars to 1.4 trillion dollars of unaccounted money has been deposited secretly in overseas banks by wealthy Indians and corporate bodies.

Earlier, in February 2011, legal notices were served to 17 persons in connection with foreign bank holdings, but international agreements and legal hurdles barred the government from revealing the identities of the persons named.

Meanwhile, he also sought a thorough probe into 2008 cash for votes scam after three BJP leaders in the case were granted bail by Delhi High Court.

"This should be taken to its logical end and all the facts relating to this - unseemly, ugly episode which has tarnished fair name of Indian democracy-should be brought to light," Advani said.

Earlier slamming the Congress party, Advani said that government had sent innocent people behind the bars to cover up its wrongdoings.

"It is very unfortunate that all those who were not involved and tried to expose them (Congress party), they were sent to jail. These people are called whistleblowers across the world and laws are also there to protect them but here (in India) whistleblowers are sent to jails," he added.

Two former BJP MPs and Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni were granted bail on Wednesday by the Delhi High Court along with two other accused in the 2008 cash-for-vote case.

The cash-for-votes scam had rocked proceedings in the Lok Sabha in 2008, when the ruling UPA Government, led by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, allegedly bribed lawmakers of other parties to help winning the confidence vote. (ANI)