C'da, I heard this story in while in India. Many I came across, felt that Sonia Gandhi is one of the most corrupted. It seems she has brought in a host of relatives Italy and made them all rich. And she wields the powers, and this PM is just a puppet.
Further, many ministers (even opposition montris), businesses & babus both in the Center and the State hold huge amounts of black money in foreign accounts. One story is that A Raja (of the 2G scam fame) stole all that wealth and promptly gave it to Karuanidhi's daughter (and son, Stalin - who is the deputy CM). The threw a few scraps to Raja. Now Raja has checked himself into Apollo Hospital, Chennai and is not coming out (he is very ill, supposedly), and not talking to anyone. He is expected to stay in the hospital till the elections are over. So, MMSingh will remain mum for his all powerful gaddhi. --Ram On Wed, Jan 19, 2011 at 10:04 AM, Chan Mahanta <cmaha...@gmail.com> wrote: > I don't get it Ram. > > Why doesn't MMS or India want to know who its black-money kings are? > > > > > > On Jan 19, 2011, at 9:55 AM, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > > > This article from Bloomberg might help. > > > > There is a slight problem for MM Singh. While most foreign governments > (like > > the US, Germany etc) are fighting the Swiss banks to release bank/account > > data, MM Singh is fighting India and cooperating with the Swiss. > > > > --Ram > > > > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=akmcfUr7TqHs > > > > Swiss Banks Achilles Heel Is Workers Selling Data (Update1) > > By Warren Giles - Feb 02, 2010 > > > > Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Swiss banks are discovering that the biggest threat > to > > client privacy is their own workers. > > > > German Chancellor Angela > > Merkel< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Angela+Merkel&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >said > > yesterday her government may buy stolen data on Swiss bank accounts as > > French authorities comb information acquired from an employee of HSBC > > Holdings Plc’s< > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?T=en10/quote.wm&ticker=HSBN%3ALN > >private > > bank in Geneva. The cases come two years after Germany paid 5 > > million euros ($7 million) for details filched from LGT Group in > neighboring > > Liechtenstein. > > > > “This is a kind of business war against Switzerland in which practices > which > > were completely illegal have become acceptable,” says Daniel Fischer, > > founder of Zurich-based Fischer & Partner law firm who specializes in > > banking law and fraud. “It’s a huge danger for Swiss banks.” > > > > The willingness of governments to pay for stolen data is fanning tensions > > with France and Germany as Switzerland seeks to negotiate treaties > > implementing its commitment to cooperate with international tax probes. > The > > Swiss government said last month it will draft a law barring officials > from > > assisting foreign countries in cases involving theft of client details. > > > > Germany’s use of such data would be “counterproductive” in future > > negotiations, and the German government shouldn’t be handling stolen > goods, > > the Swiss Bankers Association said in a Jan. 30 statement. The > association > > represents more than 300 banks, including UBS > > AG<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?T=en10/quote.wm&ticker=UBSN%3AVX > >and > > Credit > > Suisse Group AG< > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?T=en10/quote.wm&ticker=CSGN%3AVX>. > > > > > > Incentive to Steal > > > > “What’s new recently is the price paid by states for lists, which makes > it > > more attractive” for employees to steal, Anne-Marie de > > Weck< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Anne-Marie+de+Weck&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >, > > managing partner at Geneva-based private bank Lombard Odier, told > reporters > > last month in Bern. In bank security, “the most important factor is > human,” > > she said. > > > > An unidentified individual has offered to sell Germany information on > about > > 1,300 holders of Swiss bank accounts for 2.5 million euros, the Financial > > Times Deutschland reported yesterday, without saying where it got the > > information. > > > > FTD said the data came from HSBC’s private bank in Geneva, while the > German > > newspaper Handelsblatt reported it was drawn primarily from accounts at > UBS > > and may yield 200 million euros in lost taxes. Frankfurter Allgemeine > > Zeitung today said the information came from Credit Suisse, without > > providing the source of the report. > > > > UBS isn’t aware of such information, spokesman Christoph > > Meier< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Christoph%0AMeier&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >said > > when asked about the Handlesblatt report. A spokesman for HSBC in > > Geneva declined to comment, and Credit Suisse issued a statement saying > it > > had “no information” that the bank was affected. > > > > “We should aim to get hold of this data if it’s relevant,” because > Germany > > needs to crack down on tax violators, Merkel told reporters yesterday in > > Berlin. > > > > Liechtenstein Precedent > > > > Germany last year prosecuted tax evaders, including former Deutsche Post > AG > > Chief Executive Officer Klaus > > Zumwinkel< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Klaus+Zumwinkel&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >, > > using the information bought from a former computer consultant at LGT, > owned > > by Liechtenstein’s princely family. Zumwinkel received a two-year > suspended > > sentence and was ordered to pay a 1 million- euro penalty after a Germany > > court ruled that he had “knowingly” evaded taxes. > > > > Tax authorities have increasingly been offered secret bank information > since > > the Liechtenstein case, German Finance Ministry spokesman Michael > > Offer< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Michael+Offer&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >said > > yesterday. > > > > “I have a hard time imagining that we are living in a world where a > > government, which is supposed to set an example, can take for granted > that > > stolen data will be the basis for action,” Patrick > > Odier< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Patrick+Odier&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >, > > chairman of the Swiss Bankers Association, said in a Jan. 29 interview at > > the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “It is a real issue and > we > > have to make sure it doesn’t develop into more cases.” > > > > HSBC Agreement > > > > The French Finance Ministry said in December that it had data on Swiss > bank > > accounts held by French taxpayers, including names provided by a > > former HSBC< > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?T=en10/quote.wm&ticker=HSBA%3ALN > >employee. > > > > Switzerland suspended treaty negotiations with France in December because > of > > the HSBC case. After talks last week, France agreed to return the > original > > data to Switzerland and not ask for assistance from Swiss authorities > based > > on the stolen information. France will continue to use the data to pursue > > tax evaders at home. > > > > “The agreement won’t change anything for a client of HSBC whose data was > > stolen,” said Fischer, the Zurich lawyer, who added that details of the > > accord aren’t clear. “An agreement may, on the face of it, be good for > > Switzerland but not for Swiss banking clients.” > > > > Swiss secrecy laws, which threaten bank employees with as much as five > years > > in jail if they divulge client information, have failed to stop staff > from > > stealing data. > > > > ‘Gray Zone’ > > > > Switzerland’s argument that foreign governments should abide by > established > > codes of conduct that bar the use of stolen information may also fall > short, > > said Thomas Cottier, a professor of European and international economic > law > > at the University of Bern. > > > > “We are entering a gray zone of intelligence and the principles are not > as > > strict as in penal law, where information unlawfully obtained is not > > admissible,” said Cottier. “The risk is that foreign governments won’t > say > > where they got the information from, leading to less rather than more > > transparency.” > > > > Banking secrecy has been the focus of international attention for the > past > > two years as the U.S., France and Germany target tax evaders to help > close > > widening budget > > deficits< > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?T=en10/quote.wm&ticker=FDEBTY%3AIND > >after > > the worst economic crisis since World War II. > > > > Switzerland agreed in March to cooperate with countries investigating tax > > evasion in order to avoid being placed on a list of uncooperative tax > > havens. The Swiss government in August said it would give data on as many > as > > 4,450 UBS accounts to the Internal Revenue Service after the country’s > > biggest bank admitted that it helped clients avoid U.S. taxes. > > > > UBS Whistleblower > > > > The case hinged on information provided by Bradley > > Birkenfeld< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Bradley%0ABirkenfeld&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >, > > a former UBS banker who told U.S. authorities how the bank courted > wealthy > > Americans without a license from U.S. regulators and helped them set up > > accounts to evade taxes. > > > > Mirabaud & Cie., one of Geneva’s oldest private banks, says the risk from > > employees isn’t new. > > > > “The human factor is obviously a risk, and we’re always evolving as it’s > a > > continuing concern,” Yves > > Mirabaud< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Yves+Mirabaud&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >, > > partner at the 191-year-old bank, said in an interview. > > > > “We only put people that we’ve known for many years in the most sensitive > > positions,” Mirabaud said. “We try to avoid the basics such as leaving > > people alone in a room for hours where they can have access to sensitive > > data.” > > > > Still, the latest developments are “worrying,” he said. > > > > “It’s like Big Brother. Do the state and your neighbor have the right to > > know everything about you?” > > > > To contact the reporter on this story: Warren > > Giles< > http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Warren+Giles&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=en10_wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1 > >in > > Geneva at > > wgi...@bloomberg.net. > > > > To contact the editor responsible for this story: Frank Connelly at > > fconne...@bloomberg.net. > > > > > > On Wed, Jan 19, 2011 at 9:30 AM, Chan Mahanta <cmaha...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > >> Black Money Acct Holder Names Cannot be Made Public, so sayeth the > >> personally honest PM. > >> > >> > >> > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Black-money-info-cant-be-made-public-PM/articleshow/7320434.cms > >> > >> > >> Funny nobody asked WHAT those treaty obligations might be and how they > >> prevent the state from releasing those names > >> that could very likely be involved with corruption? Like ex-or sitting > >> ministers, MPs, high public officials, bureaucrats, > >> private citizens working for or with the state, like contractors and so > >> forth? > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> assam mailing list > >> assam@assamnet.org > >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > assam@assamnet.org > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
