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The Swiss Government has rendered cooperation in the matter of execution of the Letters Rogatory issued in the year 1990 and 1998. However, the Swiss Authorities expressed their inability to execute certain points of the Second Letters Rogatory of 1998 on the ground that transactions in question pertained to a period which is older than ten years and Swiss banks are obliged to keep their documents for a period of 10 years only and further that some of the banks in question have, in the meantime, been sold or merged or reorganized and most of the Bank officials who were required to be examined for gathering relevant information, were no longer present in their original function.
A CBI delegation held detailed discussion with the concerned Swiss Authorities during April 2004 in the above matter. The Swiss Authorities informed in writing that the facts of the case fell under the “Lapse of Time” and it regretted that it could not offer any further help to the authorities of India on account of reasons mentioned above. However, should new facts emerge not covered by the lapse of time clause, the Swiss authorities would re-examine the matter.
This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee in a written reply to Shri Adhalrao Patil Shivajirao in Lok Sabha today.
SKS / RAJ
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