An inquiry that led to the uncover of financial secrets of the globally rich and powerful, the 'Pandora Papers' as unveiled by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) stated in its first list that Indians such as legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Reliance ADAG Anil Ambani, and Biocon MD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw feature.
ICIJ claimed to have revealed the financial secrets of 35 current and former world leaders, over 330 politicians and public officials, some fugitives, con artists, and murderers. The data has been published as a result of the investigation of records of Alcogal, Panama law firm which is part of Pandora Papers.
"People linked by the secret documents to offshore assets include India's cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, pop music diva Shakira, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and an Italian mobster known as Lell the Fat One. Tendulkar's attorney said the cricket player's investment is legitimate and has been declared to tax authorities," the ICIJ which involved the BBC, The Guardian and The Indian Express in India among 150 media outlets said in its report.
Sachin, his wife Anjali Tendulkar, and father-in-law Anand Mehta were named as Beneficial Owners (BOs) and Directors of a British Virgin Islands (BVI)-based company: Saas International Limited. Indian Express said in its report that the company was liquidated in July 2016.
The probe was launched by the ICIJ around two years ago and it involved more than 600 journalists in 117 countries. It may be recalled that the Panama Papers, which created shockwaves across the world, involved around 400 journalists from 80 countries.
