SC orders adequate security for Hassan Ali Khan, family members

Solicitor general tells Court the government does not want to set up special investigating team at this juncture, as it could interfere with the investigation work undertaken by the agencies so far

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today directed the Union government and the Maharashtra government to provide adequate protection to Hassan Ali Khan and his family members, against whom investigations are continuing for allegedly stashing away black money abroad and evading taxes. The Court also asked the investigators to record on video the statements of the accused and witnesses, as part of the probe into the case.

A bench of judges B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar directed the government to place before it by 8th April, in a sealed cover, the compact disc (CD) and transcripts of the 53-year-old Mr Khan's statements that were recorded by the now suspended Maharashtra police officer Ashok Deshbhratar.

During the hearing, solicitor general Gopal Subramanian told the Court that the government was not in favour of constituting a special investigation team (SIT), at this juncture, to probe the case. Contending that the agencies currently investigating the case should continue with their work, he said that the Court could form an SIT to probe the case later, if the agencies did not show results, reports PTI.

"Wait for some more time as the agencies are involved in examining the matter. Any deflection at this point of time will prove far more expensive," the solicitor general said. He also said that the government had no objection in principle to video-recording the statements of the accused and witnesses during the investigation process.

Besides the Enforcement Directorate probe in the black money case, Mr Khan also faces a nearly Rs70,000 crore tax demand notice from the Income-Tax Department.

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