In reply to an RTI query, the ministry also refused to disclose the details of black money received from other foreign countries
The Finance Ministry has declined to share Swiss bank accounts details of Indians saying it is covered under “confidentiality provisions” of a tax treaty signed between India and Switzerland. In reply to an RTI query, the ministry also refused to disclose the details of black money received from other foreign countries.
“Information exchanged under such tax agreements is covered under confidentiality provisions of respective agreements. Thus, disclosure of tax related information and information sought/obtained from foreign governments is exempted under section 8 (1) (a) and 8 (1) (f) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act,” it said in response to the RTI application filed by this PTI journalist.
The section 8 (1) (a) bars disclosure of information “which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence”. The other section exempts disclosure of “information received in confidence from foreign government”.
The ministry was asked to provide the details of information received from Switzerland related to accounts of Indians in banks there. It was also asked to provide the details of information received from foreign countries on black money, including details of such cases shared with India. India had in September got the first set of Swiss bank account details of its nationals under a new automatic information exchange pact….
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