Rs 13,860 crore ‘not mine’, says Gujarat bizman

Manas Dasgupta

Ahmedabad, December 3

The Ahmedabad-based businessman who had declared black money worth Rs 13,860 crore under the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) today appeared before the media and claimed that it was not his money. 

Mahesh Shah, 67, who went “missing” a few days before November 30, said he had become a “tool” in the hands of some “big fishes”. 

“I will give out every name who had asked me to make the disclosure on their behalf,” he said, hinting that “big fishes” include top politicians, government officials, land sharks and others.

“Those whose money was disclosed  backed out at the last moment so I could not pay the first instalment,” Shah said. The businessman said he had done the disclosure “out of compulsion” and was promised “commission” for declaring the wealth as his.  “But now I have realised my mistake.”

Shah had declared unaccounted money of Rs 13,860 crore on the last day of the IDS on September 30 and was due to pay the first of the four instalments of 45 per cent tax amounting to over Rs 1,560 crore by November 30. But the Tax Department cancelled his voluntary disclosure on November 28 and Shah disappeared.