The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe against companies and people named in the Panama Papers. The party demanded that the multi agency investigation team set by the central government be allowed to work freely and without the influence of the higher ups in the government.
AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has availed of the hospitality of industrialist Gautam Adani, whose brother’s company is named in the Panama Papers investigation. Therefore, we don’t trust the government for a fair probe into the matter. Therefore, a Supreme Court-monitored probe should be ordered in the Panama Papers investigations at the earliest.”
An investigation by the International Conso-rtium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and more than 100 other news organisations across the globe reveals offshore links of some of the world’s prominent people, including over 500 from India.
In India, The Indian Express published the investigative report, alleging that among others, Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai were directors in companies in Panama. The two did not immediately respond despite efforts to contact them.
Ms Rai’s media adviser told the newspaper that the information was false.
Also named in the probe were Sameer Gehlaut of IndiaBulls for allegedly owning properties in the Bahamas, Jersey and Britain and K.P. Singh of realty firm DLF for having companies registered in British Virgin Islands.
Vinod Adani, elder brother of industrialist Gautam Adani, politician Shishir Bajoria from West Bengal and Anurag Kejriwal of the Loksatta Party were also accused of setting up companies in the tax havens.
