Does pandora papers’ expose to unlock the future of 350 Influential Indians

The Pandora Papers’s 11.9 million records arrived from 14 different offshore services firms in a jumble of files and formats – even ink-on-paper – presenting a massive data-management challenge. It contains a 2.94 terabyte data trove exposes the offshore secrets of wealthy elites from more than 200 countries and territories. These are people who use tax and secrecy havens to buy property and hide assets; many avoid taxes and worse.

They include more than 330 politicians and 130 Forbes billionaires, as well as celebrities, fraudsters, drug dealers, royal family members and leaders of religious groups around the world. The task involved three main elements: journalists, technology and time. The investigation is based on a leak of confidential records of 14 offshore service providers that give professional services to wealthy individuals and corporations seeking to incorporate shell companies, trusts, foundations and other entities in low- or no-tax jurisdictions.

As per Deloitte Anti-Money Laundering Preparedness Survey Report 2020, the amount of money laundered in one year is estimated to be between two percent and five percent of global GDP, or from $800 billion to $2 trillion annually. The paper claims how several ultra-rich used trusts as a vehicle for the sole purpose of holding their investments. In India, it is legitimate to set up a trust both in the country and outside. The trust is governed by Indian Trusts Act, which does not see trust per se as a legal entity but does recognise the trustee. It allows trustees to manage and make use of assets for the beneficiaries’ benefits.

The rule also allows setting up trust in foreign jurisdiction. Many corporate, large business houses set up trusts for legit purposes and are genuine in nature. The Pandora Papers gathered information on more than 27,000 companies and 29,000 so-called ultimate beneficial owners from 11 of the providers, or more than twice the number of beneficial owners identified in the Panama Papers. Going forward, there is a need for transparency and accountability to expose the enablers and to reduce the loopholes.