The Supreme Court today directed the Union and the Maharashtra governments to provide adequate protection to Pune stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, facing probe for allegedly stashing away black money abroad and evading taxes, and his family.

The apex court also asked the investigators to video- record the statements of the accused and witnesses as part of the probe into the case.

A Bench of justices, Mr B. Sudershan Reddy and Mr S.S. Nijjar, directed the Government to place before it by April 8, in a sealed cover, the CD and transcripts of the 53-year-old Khan’s statements recorded by suspended Maharashtra police officer, Mr Ashok Deshbhratar.

The court gave the order after the Government responded to its posers on various issues, including security for Mr Khan.

During the hearing, the Solicitor General, Mr Gopal Subramanian, told the court that the Government was not at this juncture in favour of constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case of black money being stashed away in foreign banks and money laundering by Mr Khan.

Contending that the agencies, currently investigating the case, should continue with their probe, Subramanian said the court may form an SIT to probe the case later if the agencies did not show result.

He said the Government has no objection in principle in video-recording the statements of the accused and witnesses during the investigation process.

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