The Bombay High Court has granted Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra interim relief from eviction notices issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The notices were related to their properties in Mumbai’s Juhu area and a farmhouse near Pawna Dam, following a provisional attachment of their assets in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme involving cryptocurrency.
Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra get interim stay from Bombay High Court on ED’s eviction orders to vacate house in Juhu and farmhouse in Pune
Shilpa, Raj Get Interim Protection from Eviction
On Thursday, a Bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and PK Chavan ruled to extend interim protection to the couple while they contest the eviction notices before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) appellate authority. This decision came after the ED assured the Court that no action would be taken on the notices until the couple files their stay application. The Court clarified that no eviction would be enforced until the appellate authority rules on their appeal.
The couple’s properties were initially attached by the ED following an investigation into a crypto Ponzi scheme, although Shetty and Kundra were not named as accused in the primary investigation. Despite their assets being provisionally attached, the couple contends that the ED’s eviction notices were issued prematurely and violate their rights.
Details of the Legal Dispute
In their petition, Shetty and Kundra, represented by advocate Prashant Patil, described the ED’s eviction notices as “meaningless, reckless, and arbitrary.” They argued that under the PMLA, they had a 45-day period to challenge the provisional attachment order, yet they were served with eviction notices before this window closed.
The couple stated that the assets were acquired through legitimate means and that they are not beneficiaries of any alleged proceeds of crime. They claimed full cooperation throughout the ED’s investigation, with Kundra attending multiple summonses and Shetty providing documentation via her authorised representative.
Court’s Decision and Future Proceedings
The High Court’s interim stay will remain in effect until the PMLA appellate authority in Delhi decides on Shetty and Kundra’s plea. Additionally, the Court ruled that if an adverse ruling is made by the appellate authority, it will not be enforced for another two weeks, giving the couple time to explore further legal remedies.
The ED’s eviction notices were issued following the confirmation of a provisional attachment order on September 18, 2024, connected to an alleged Ponzi scheme involving Amit Bharadwaj. The couple had been served eviction notices on October 3, 2024, demanding that they vacate their properties within ten days.
Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra are now awaiting the appellate authority’s decision, which will determine whether the eviction orders will be enforced.
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