Supreme Court tells government to form a Special Investigation Team for probing black money cases

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the government to notify within three weeks a Special Investigation Team, comprising two former judges of the top court, which will explore ways to recover black money and also initiate investigation and prosecution of those who are found stashing away money illegally whether at home or abroad.

Former judge MB Shah will be the SIT chairman and Arijit Pasayat the vice-chairman, the court said. Any notification will coincide with a new government taking over, lawyers said on the condition of anonymity. “It will become the new government’s headache.” The UPA-II government had effectively stymied the order creating the SIT for almost two years by first filing a review and getting a stay on that order.