Information on unaccounted wealth inside and outside India is highly classified: Government

National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) refused to reveal information on unaccounted income/wealth inside/outside India, citing economic interest of country. CIC ordered fresh hearing for both NIPFP and CBDT

The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), a research institute under the Ministry of Finance, has refused to reveal any information on unaccounted income and wealth inside and outside India, saying that it could affect economic interest of the country.

Denying a copy of the “Estimation of unaccounted income and wealth inside and outside the country” called for by a petitioner under the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, the NIPFP said the information sought was a classified document in terms of the agreement between the institute and the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Thus, the information was exempted under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act.

Not satisfied with the reply of the Chief Public Information Officer and the First Appellate Authority denying the information that he had requested in 2019, the petitioner, Tallapaneni Krishna, had filed an appeal before the Central Information Commission (CIC).

After the petitioner was absent at the hearing, the CIC on August 11, 2021, passed an interim order directing the representative from the Ministry of Finance to be present at the hearing.

The order said “the Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing the respondent and perusal of records, notes that information sought pertained to NIPFP as well as Central Board of Director Taxes (CBDT), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

However, the hearing notice was sent only to the NIPFP. Hence, in the interest of justice and proper disposal of the case, the Registry of this Bench is directed to make party to both the party and issue fresh notice to NIPFP and CBDT along with the appellant.”

However, after Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), CBDT, did not appear in the next hearing on medical grounds and the appellant was also absent, the CIC adjourned the matter again.