Panama papers leak: Over 500 Indians in the spotlight

Top Stories

Panama papers leak: Over 500 Indians in the spotlight

New Delhi - As with many of Fonseca's clients, there is no evidence that the Bollywood A-listers used their companies for improper purposes and having an offshore entity is not illegal.

By AFP

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Mon 4 Apr 2016, 1:05 PM

Last updated: Mon 4 Apr 2016, 6:48 PM

Bollywood's Amitabh Bachchan and martial arts movie star Jackie Chan are among celebrities who feature Monday in a massive leak of documents, some of which reveal hidden offshore assets.

Bollywood legend Bachchan, simply known as the "Big B" in India, was appointed director of at least four shipping companies registered in offshore tax havens and set up 23 years ago.

The authorised capital of these companies ranged from just $5,000 to $50,000 but they traded in ships worth millions of dollars, according to the Indian Express newspaper.

The Express is among more than 100 media groups which have investigated a massive leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in 35 countries.

Bachchan, who has long since resigned from the companies and has not commented on the documents, is not the only member of his famous family named in the leaks.

His daughter-in-law, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was also director and shareholder of an offshore company, along with members of her family, before it was thought to have been wound up in 2008, according to the newspaper.

The media adviser of the former Miss World winner has rejected the documents as "totally untrue and false".

As with many of Fonseca's clients, there is no evidence that the Bollywood A-listers used their companies for improper purposes and having an offshore entity is not illegal.

But the documents, naming more than 500 Indians including real estate tycoons in Fonseca's list of offshore companies, foundations and trusts, come at a sensitive time in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has vowed to crack down on the "menace" of so-called black money -- vast sums stashed abroad to keep them secret from Indian tax authorities.

Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan has also been revealed to have at least six companies represented by Fonseca's firm, though he too may have used the companies legitimately for business purposes rather than for tax avoidance.

The stash of records was obtained from an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with media worldwide. The documents, from around 214,000 offshore entities, cover almost 40 years.

Some of the names on the list are:
Garware family
Offshore entities: Rondor Overseas Ltd, others
Location:BVI and Panama
 
Shishir K Bajoria
Offshore entity: Haptic (BVI) Limited
Location: British Virgin Islands (BVI)
 
Onkar Kanwar
Offshore entity: J&S Systems Corporation
Location: BVI
 
Harish Salve
Offshore entities: Crestbright Ltd, Pyebush Group Ltd, Edenval Ltd
Location:BVI
 
Jehangir S Sorabjee
Offshore entity: Moonglow Investments Global Ltd
Location: BVI
 
Mohan Lal Lohia
Offshore entities: Venton Group Ltd, Lohia Charitable Foundation
Location:BVI & Panama
 
Zavaray Poonawalla
Offshore entity: Stallast Ltd
Location: BVI
  
Indira Sivasailam and Mallika Srinivasan
Offshore entities: Stanbridge Company Ltd
Location: BVI


More news from