The Centre today revealed the names of three Indians holding illegal foreign bank accounts in an affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi filed the affidavit before a Bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu. The names revealed are former Dabur group executive Pradip Burman, Rajkot-based bullion trader and jeweller Pankaj Chimanlal Lodhia and Goa miner Radha S Timblo.

Centre in its affidavit said, every foreign account held by an Indian may not be illegal and names cannot be disclosed unless there is prima facie evidence of wrong doing. It said, information received from foreign countries will be disclosed in all cases where tax evasion is established and the government had no intention to withhold names of persons who have stashed black money abroad.

Earlier, the BJP government had told the apex court that the names cannot be revealed because of the restrictions imposed by Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.

Meanwhile, Dabur has said in a statement that Mr Barman's account is legal and it is unfortunate that every foreign account holder is being painted with the same brush.

BJP has termed revealing names of persons having stashed black money in foreign banks as a historic move. Talking to AIR, party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it has resulted from government's effective action in the case. He said the process of disclosure has started and more names will be revealed in the coming days after completion of legal process.

Congress has asked the government to avoid selective disclosure of names and demanded that names of all account holders should be revealed. Party spokesperson Salman Khurshid said government must not do something which appears to be politically motivated.

CPI leader D Raja questioned the government over non-disclosure of names of politicians. He wanted to know about the names of Congress leaders whom Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said would embarrass the opposition party.