The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on Monday night released an online database with information on hundreds and thousands of offshore companies named in the first documents released by the group last month. The searchable database has information on close to 3,20,000 entities, ICIJ said, including data on around 2,000 links to India. This is the largest ever release of information about offshore companies and the people who own them. The leaked data covers nearly 40 years, from 1977 to 2015, ICIJ said.
ICIJ’s Deputy Director Marina Walker Guevara told NBC News that the data released on Monday was only a fraction of the Panama Papers – around 11.5 million filed leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca relating to offshore accounts. The leaks include data on the offshore holdings of 12 world leaders, more than 128 other politicians, and many others.
A major leak Several Indians were named in the first leaks, including Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve, DLF real estate company’s chief KP Singh and Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The Indians named in the Panama leaks are now being investigated by a multi-agency team that includes the Reserve Bank of India.
Last month, a major leak of millions of documents from a Panama-based law firm revealed the hidden offshsore wealth of some of the world's top leaders and celebrities, including 500 Indians. Major international names include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his family, and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi. The documents were leaked by an anonymous source to German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The database can be accessed here.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!