look news india
Mumbai: Actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra have challenged in the Bombay High Court the ED notice directing them to vacate their farmhouse in Pune and their house in Juhu in a money laundering case. Revati Mohite Dhare and Ms. Prithviraj Chavan's bench issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and posted the hearing on Thursday.
The ED had on September 27 directed Shetty and Kundra to vacate both the properties within ten days in a money laundering case related to the alleged Bitcoin fraud. He has challenged this notice.
The petitioner's lawyer said that he received the notice on October 3. A demand was made to cancel the notice, terming it arbitrary and illegal.
According to the petition, there is no urgent situation for them to vacate the house and such notice is unfair. The petitioners have also sought relief on humanitarian grounds as six of their family members have been living in the house mentioned in the notice for two decades. The petition has also demanded a stay on the implementation of the notice.
According to the petition, the ED had filed a complaint against Amit Bhardwaj and others in 2018 for alleged Bitcoin fraud and money laundering. Both Shetty and her husband have not been named as accused in the case.
The petition states that the ED called Kundra for questioning several times and Kundra appeared every time.
In April 2024, Shetty and Kundra received a notice on the order passed by the ED asking Kundra's father to attach properties, including the Juhu residence, which he had purchased in 2009. Both responded to the notice. However, contrary to law, the authority had upheld the order dated September 18, 2024. The order made it clear that the trial would remain in force only till the conclusion of the case and subject to its outcome. On October 3, the petitioners received two notices dated September 27, directing them to vacate both the properties. The petition states that no order or notice to vacate the property can be given before conviction.
The petition also said that his residence was not linked to the alleged crime or any proceeds of crime. The petition also claims that Kundra had no connection with the alleged fraud.