India has sought from Switzerland financial information on a couple belonging to the erstwhile royal family of Sangli, a former princely state that is now part of Maharashtra.

Indian officials have requested Switzerland for “administrative assistance” on the financial information related to Vijaysingh Madhavrao Patwardhan and Rohini Vijaysingh Patwardhan.

The Federal Tax Administration of Switzerland has issued a public notice to the Patwardhans to appoint their nominees to deal with the matter and file their objections, if any, against sharing of information.

The Patwardhans are parents of yesteryear actress Bhagyashree who became an overnight star after her debut in Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989.

Sangli joined the Dominion of India in February 1948. Vijyasingh developed a keen interest in business and also composed music for films for sometime. He is credited with setting up educational, medical and other facilities in Sangli over the years.

Automatic exchange of information on financial matters has already come into force between India and Switzerland and the first such exchange took place in September this year.

Swiss authorities have been issuing such notices regularly to Indian residents having accounts in Switzerland-based banks on receipt of requests. One such notice was recently issued to Gautam Khaitan, an accused in the AgustaWestland chopper case.

In two separate but identical notices dated November 19 and published in Switzerland’s latest federal gazette in Berne, the Patwardhans have been asked to appoint their nominees within 10 days.

The notices did not disclose any other details, besides their names and dates of birth (August 24, 1942, for Vijaysingh and October 27, 1950, for his wife Rohini).

Attempts to contact the family did not elicit any response, while queries sent to the registered email ID of a company where the two Patwardhans are listed as directors remained unanswered.

The company, Mangalmurti Investment and Exports Pvt Ltd, is registered with Mumbai Registrar of Companies (RoC) with Sangli Villa in Mumbai as its registered address.

Vijaysingh and Rohini are listed as the only two directors of the company. The RoC records show its status as “active” and the last annual general meeting was held on September 30, 2019.

The company, which has an authorised capital of Rs 15 lakh, was incorporated on April 25, 1979.