Daily Briefing: Express investigation leads to offshore tax action

🚨 Big Story

For the first time, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has revealed that Rs 14,601 crore in previously undisclosed offshore investments investigated by The Indian Express have now been “brought to tax.” It all started with the Panama Papers in 2016, followed by the Paradise Papers in 2017, and the Pandora Papers in 2021. Each of these landmark leaks exposed the shadowy world of offshore tax havens, revealing how wealthy individuals and entities stashed money away from the public eye. The disclosure, shared via an RTI response dated January 30, 2026, is the latest chapter in a story that began over a decade ago, with The Indian Express at its investigative helm. The Indian Express, working closely with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and media partners worldwide, meticulously traced these hidden fortunes, turning complex data and documents into stories that shocked the nation. Now, a decade of investigation and reporting has tangible results.

While these numbers do not represent the final tax collected, they highlight offshore investments now included in official tax assessments. So far, 1,255 cases have been filed under these investigations: 426 from Panama Papers, 494 from Paradise Papers, and 335 from Pandora Papers. The move signals a strong crackdown on offshore tax evasion and a push for greater transparency in financial holdings abroad.

⚡Only in Express

In an interview with The Indian Express, C R Kesavan, national spokesperson of the BJP and great grandson of India’s first Governor General C Rajagopalachari, spoke about the installation of his great grandfather’s bust at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Reflecting on the moment, Kesavan said there is a striking similarity between Rajaji, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that all three hail from humble, non-privileged backgrounds and that simplicity rooted in Indian values has been the hallmark of their public lives.

📰 From the Front Page

Judiciary in classroom: In a move that brings the workings of the justice system into the classroom, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has included a chapter titled “The role of the judiciary in our society” in its Class 8 Social Science textbook under the section “corruption in the judiciary”. The chapter flags corruption at various levels and points to the massive case backlog, attributing it to an inadequate number of judges, complicated legal procedures, and poor infrastructure. Following a segment on why an independent judiciary is necessary, the book asks students to discuss two examples related to electoral bonds and the Information Technology Act. It notes that in 2018 the government introduced electoral bonds to allow anonymous political donations. In the Information Technology Act, 2009, it states that a later clause allowed imprisonment for online posts. The inclusion of these examples raises a broader question: How might these examples shape the way students view the judiciary?

Jharkhand crash: Seven people, including two pilots, lost their lives after an air ambulance crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening. The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 (VT-AJV) operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was on a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down around 7.30 pm. The flight was carrying two pilots, a patient and the patient’s family members. The doctors at the site found no survivors and that the crash was likely caused by a thunderstorm, said Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G. A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is being dispatched to probe the accident. The crash comes less than a month after a chartered jet crashed in Maharashtra’s Baramati, claiming the lives of the state’s then deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others.

🎧 For more, tune in to today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode.

📌 Must Read

Call for meat ban: How exactly a plate of food threatens social harmony is the question of the hour. The suggestion comes from Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who has called for banning meat sales near educational institutions and public places, arguing the move would protect public sentiment and maintain order. The proposal, which has already sparked political debate, focuses on areas around schools, colleges and religious or public spaces. Because clearly, the biggest disruption to young minds is not unemployment, infrastructure gaps or overcrowded classrooms. It is the proximity of a chicken shop. If complex problems remain difficult to fix, redrawing the map around a kebab stall may seem easier. Read.

Zero tolerance: India has unveiled its first counter-terrorism policy, ‘Prahaar’, a comprehensive framework anchored in zero tolerance, intelligence-led prevention and coordinated response to extremist violence. Announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the policy aims to deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, weapons and safe havens, both within India and abroad. The document underscores India’s longstanding position that terrorism has no justification and reiterates New Delhi’s commitment to a zero-tolerance approach. Read. 

⏳ And Finally…

Organ donation push: In the latest episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again spotlighted organ donation, using personal stories to drive home the message. This marks at least the third time he has raised the issue on the monthly broadcast, with previous appeals followed by noticeable upticks in public pledges, according to official data and government campaigns. The sustained messaging has helped keep organ donation in the public conversation and encouraged more families to consider it. India recorded its highest number of deceased-donor transplants in 2024, with 3,403 procedures, a 16% rise from the previous year, according to the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation. Read.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, 

Anupama Yadav