Cannot disclose foreign account holders? names: PM in Cabinet

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday made it clear at the Union Cabinet meeting that names of Indians with foreign bank accounts cannot be made public under international treaties.

The Cabinet, taking up the issue, noted that the government?s stand in the matter was drawing flak from all quarters, including the general public.

The Supreme Court had also sharply attacked the government for its refusal to make public the names of Indians with bank accounts in foreign countries.

The apex court had maintained that the money stashed away in foreign banks amounted to plunder of the nation?s wealth.

However, the prime minister pointed at the Cabinet meeting that the government was tied with the international agreements and any move to disclose the names provided by foreign countries would mean that other nations will not share such information with India later.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee also backed the prime minister.