Aishwarya Rai joins probe in Panama Papers leak case

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Monday reached Delhi office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to join the probe in connection with Panama papers leak case for alleged FEMA violation.

A top ED official confirmed about her joining the probe to record her statement.

He said that the actress was summoned thrice to join the probe. It was the third summon which she received.

"We had summoned her for December 20. The summon was sent to her Mumbai's residence. Abiding by the summon she joined the probe," said an ED official.


Now SIT of elite officials of the ED are recording her statements.

This is not the first time when she has been summoned. She was earlier summoned on two occasions. However, she didn't join the probe. Earlier on November 9, she was summoned to record her testimony in the case, but she did not come.

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


In 2016, the Panama Papers leak case came into the light in which Aishwarya Rai and Bachchan family members were also named. Names of Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan also cropped up in the case. According to the information, in May 2005 a company was reportedly incorporated at British Virgin Islands in which Aishwarya and other Bachchan family members were directors.

In June, her director's post was changed and she became a shareholder in the company. After three years the company became inactive. Later, after her name came into Panama Papers leak, an SIT was formed to look into the matter. -IANS