Aishwarya Rai summoned in connection with Panama papers

Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Panama papers, sources said today.

The probe agency wants to question the 48-year-old actor over allegations of stashing wealth abroad, the sources said. She has reportedly asked for more time, reports NDTV.

Aishwarya Rai, the daughter-in-law of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, had sought more time twice before when summoned for questioning.

The Enforcement Directorate started investigating alleged forex violations in 2017. It had issued notices to the Bachchan family asking them to explain their foreign remittances since 2004 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of India.

Aishwarya Rai had submitted records on the foreign payments under investigation. Sources say the agency wants to record her statement now.

"The Panama Papers" case is a sprawling investigation spanning millions of documents stolen and leaked to the media in 2016. The case involves allegations that the world's rich and powerful set up offshore accounts or shell companies to avoid taxes. Leaked financial records of politicians, industrialists and celebrities worldwide were reviewed and published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.