CBI chief statement on black money was made on SC panel report

The government today said that CBI chief AP Singh's statement on black money stashed abroad was based on the report of the Supreme Court-appointed committee on black money.

"I have spoken to the CBI Director and he told me that he made the statement on the basis of a report prepared by a Supreme Court-appointed committee," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy told reporters here.

He said the Supreme Court made a committee on black money and it had submitted its report. "He (CBI chief) mentioned this (figure) on the basis of this report," the minister said.

The minister's comments came on a day when the Swiss Embassy in a press release said such estimates and statistics lack evidence and are uncorroborated.

In an unusual step, the Embassy issued a press release saying, "it wishes to make a clarification in view of unsubstantiated media reports that have been recently published about Switzerland and Swiss Banks."

But, the release, which did not mention CBI Chief's statement, said that Switzerland is not a tax haven.