Amitabh Bachchan on Panama Papers: “I have never been a director of any of those companies”

After keeping quiet for the past 24 hours, Amitabh Bachchan has spoken out about the controversial link to the Panama Papers exposed yesterday.

Bachchan, along with daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were named in a huge leaked list of 500 Indians, exposing their secret offshore dealings. The report said, two years before he launched the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL) in 1995, the Bollywood superstar was appointed director in at least four offshore shipping companies.

However, Bachchan has refuted the reports. As reported by ANI agency, he said in a statement, “I do not know any of the companies referred to by 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.”

He added, “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… after paying Indian taxes. In any event the news report in Indian Express does not even suggest any illegality on my part.”

Aishwarya’s representative called the documents “totally untrue and false”.