Paradise Papers: Over 700 Indians named in leaked tax haven data

More than a year after the Panama Papers leak, a new release by the United States-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, consisting data from two offshore law firms -- Appleby in Bermuda and Asiaciti in Singapore -- includes names of at least 714 Indians, with an Indian firm figuring as Appleby's second-largest client globally.

Reports by the Indian Express say that among the 180 countries represented in the data, called Paradise Papers, India ranks 19th in terms of the number of names.

The Paradise Papers contain 13.4 million documents mainly from Appleby.

The files were first obtained by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, and shared with the ICIJ and partner media outlets.

The IE report said that Appleby, a 119-year-old company, 'is a leading member of the global network of lawyers, accountants, bankers and other operatives who set up offshore companies and manage bank accounts for clients to do one or a combination of the following: avoid or evade taxes; manage real estate assets; open escrow accounts; purchase airplanes and yachts paying low tax rates; or, simply, use offshore vehicles to move millions across the globe'.

The leak also revealed that millions of pounds from the private estate of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II have been invested in offshore tax haven funds.

It also reveals business ties of US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to a shipping firm linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

However, there is no suggestion that Ross or the queen's private estate acted illegally.