NEW DELHI: In the latest crackdown on the parallel economy of black money , the government has introduced strict measures to discourage individuals and companies indulging in tax evasion and money laundering.The new set of measures promises "harsh punitive action" against deviant shell companies , which will include freezing of bank accounts, striking off the names of dormant companies, and invocation of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.Following a review by the Prime Minister's Office, a whole-government approach involving coordinated efforts and leveraging technology has been initiated to deter financial malpractices.Red flag indicators will be used to identify shell companies and a database of such companies and their directors would be built by pulling in information from various agencies. The database will also capture Aadhar number of individual directors in the companies.A special task force with members from various regulatory ministries and enforcement agencies has been constituted to monitor the actions taken against deviant shell companies by various agencies. The concerned regulatory ministry will ensure that disciplinary actions are initiated against the professionals indulging in malpractices and abetting entry operators of the shell companies.Following the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November last year, an analysis of shell companies revealed there were deposits to the tune of Rs 1,238 crore during the November-December period.Moreover, an investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) showed that as much as Rs 3,900 crore have been laundered by 559 persons with the help of 54 professionals.