ED summons Aishwarya Rai Bacchan in Panama papers case

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bacchan has been ordered to depose before the Enforcement Directorate's office in Delhi regarding the investigation into tax returns filed by the Bacchan family that were leaked as part of the Panama Papers scandal in 2016, according to an official statement.

The investigation was initiated in 2017, as ED initiated investigations to probe the alleged contravention of Forex laws by the individuals and entities named in this list under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Amitabh Bacchan, Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgn are on the ED's list of suspects who were summoned under Section 32 of FEMA.

It had issued notices to the Bachchan family asking them to explain their foreign remittances since 2004 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of India. Aishwarya Rai had submitted records on the foreign payments under investigation. Sources say the agency wants to record her statement now.

The actress and superstar father-in-law Amitabh Bacchan were twice summoned before the ED but did not appear, seeking more time to depose.

The Panama Papers case is a sprawling investigation spanning millions of documents stolen and leaked to the media in 2016. The case involves allegations that the world's rich and powerful set up offshore accounts or shell companies to avoid taxes. Leaked financial records of politicians, industrialists and celebrities worldwide were reviewed and published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

A second mass leak of financial details dubbed the 'Pandora Papers' came out this year, revealing that retired cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and several of his family members were Beneficial Owners of an offshore entity in the British Virgin Islands which was liquidated months after the Panama Papers leaked. There has been no official confirmation of illegal activity.