Panama Papers: SC issues notice to RBI, SEBI on probe against offshore account holders

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on a plea seeking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against offshore account holders revealed in the Panama papers.

The apex court also issued notice to the Centre as well as to the CBI in this regard.

With a view to facilitate coordinated and speedy investigation in the leak, the Central Government had on April 4 constituted a multi-agency group, comprising of Investigative Division of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Foreign Tax and Tax Research Division of CBDT, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Reserve Bank of India.

Earlier last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Income-Tax Department has sent notices to all those Indians named in the Panama Papers' expose and is investigating the matter.

The Congress has demanded that the Panama Papers be handed over to the Supreme Court, which is looking into the black money issue, while alleging that the BJP-led NDA Government's decision to constitute a multi-agency group was a "shoddy attempt" to brush aside the Jaitley had earlier said the Congress will not have many reasons to celebrate after the details into the Panama Papers come out.

Various opposition parties have rejected the terms of reference of the proposed judicial commission to probe the Panama Papers scandal, saying these are aimed at covering up the corruption.

A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents on April 3 revealed secret offshore dealings of world leaders and celebrities.

According to a report, appearing in the Indian Express, the Panama papers feature names such as film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, to corporates including DLF owner K.P. Singh and nine members of his family, and the promoters of Apollo Tyres and IndiaBulls to Gautam Adani`s elder brother Vinod Adani.

Two politicians, who figure in the list, are Shishir Bajoria from West Bengal and Loksatta Party`s Delhi unit former chief Anurag Kejriwal.