ED quizzes actress Aishwarya Rai for 5 hours in Panama Papers leak case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Monday questioned actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for about five hours in a case linked to the 2016 'Panama Papers' global tax leaks case, official sources said.

As per reports, the actress was called in to record her statement in connection with the ED's probe in the Panama Papers case that revealed how offshore firms are used to stash the wealth of the world's rich and powerful.

The expose showed that several prominent personalities in India had floated companies in tax havens.

A team of six officials, including a lady official, recorded her statement. The ED recorded Aishwarya's statement under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

A source said that Aishwarya was asked as many as 50 questions regarding a firm reportedly incorporated by her father-in-law and Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan. The firm was incorporated in British Virgin Island. She was first the director of the firm and then became a shareholder.

Aishwarya had sought adjournments on two occasions earlier.

"We had summoned her for December 20. Abiding by the third summon, she joined the probe," said an ED official.

The ED had lodged a case under FEMA after the Panama Papers leak showed how companies were set up in offshore islands to avoid taxes. Aishwarya and others have been named in the case.

In 2016, the Panama Papers leak case came to the light in which Aishwarya and Bachchan family members were named. The names of Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan also cropped up in the case.

In May 2005, a company was reportedly incorporated at British Virgin Island in which Aishwarya and other members of the Bachchan family were directors. In June 2005, her post was changed and she became a shareholder in the company.

After three years, the company became inactive. Later, after her name cropped up in the Panama Papers leak, an SIT was formed to probe the matter.