Panama papers: Amitabh Bachchan breaks silence, says his name may have been misused
He also said that he has no association with any of the companies.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has broken his silence on the Panama Papers, where his name and Aishwariya Rai Bachchan's name featured alongside 500 Indians.
Panama Papers have leaked significant documents about Mossack Fonseca firm in Panama which has helped investors around the world to evade tax, launder money, among other things.
In his statement, Amitabh Bachchan said, "I do not know any of the companies referred to by The Indian Express - Sea Bulk Shipping Company Ltd, Lady Shipping Ltd, Treasure Shipping Ltd, and Tramp Shipping Ltd. I have never been a director of any of the above stated companies. It is possible that my name has been misused. I have paid all my taxes including on monies spent by me overseas. Monies that I have remitted overseas have been in compliance with law, including remittances through LRS, after paying Indian taxes. In any event the news report in Indian Express does not even suggest any illegality on my part."
According to a report in the Indian Express, 500 Indians are on the list, including actor Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, real-estate developer DLF's KP Singh and politican Anurag Kejriwal.
The International Consortium of Investigate Journalists, which published the Panama Papers on Sunday, said that many of these offshore companies are likely to be for legitimate uses.
Panama Papers is the largest international cooperation of its kind in the world. In the last one year, around 400 journalists from more than 100 media organisations in over 80 countries have taken part in researching the documents. Journalists from media organisations like BBC, Guardian, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Falter, among others have also worked on the project. The leak is considered to be the largest in the world of journalism.
Among those named by the ICIJ and fellow media groups for their offshore dealings are relatives of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi.