Shilpa Shetty, husband Raj Kundra challenge ED eviction notices in HC

Actor Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra have moved the Bombay High Court challenging the Enforcement Directorate ED notice directing them to vacate their house and a farmhouse in Pune in connection with a moneylaundering case reported the PTIThe pleas came up for hearing on Wednesday before a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj ChavanThe court issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate ED and posted the matter for hearing on Thursday as per the PTIAccording to the PTI their petitions challenge ED notices issued on September 27 directing them to evict their residential premises and a farmhouse in Pune within ten days in connection with a moneylaundering case linked to an alleged Bitcoin fraudThe couples advocate Prashant Patil said that Shetty and Kundra received the eviction notices only on October 3 He termed the notices arbitrary and illegal and sought them to be quashed the news agency reportedAccording to the pleas there is no grave urgency for the petitioners to vacate their premises and that the issuance of such eviction notices was uncalled forThe petitioners are also seeking relief on humanitarian grounds as the premise in question is their residential premise in which they have been staying with their family of six members for almost two decades the petitions said a PTI report statedThe pleas also sought the high court to stay the effect of the eviction noticesAs per the pleas the ED had in 2018 lodged a complaint against one Amit Bhardwaj and others for an alleged Bitcoin fraud and on charges of money launderingBoth Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra have not been named as accused in the caseThe ED during its probe had summoned Raj Kundra for questioning on several occasions Kundra had appeared before the agency after each summons the pleas said the PTI reported on WednesdayMeanwhile in April 2024 Shetty and Kundra received a notice based on an order passed by the ED provisionally attaching their assets including their residential premise in Juhu that had been purchased by Raj Kundras father in 2009Both Shetty and Kundra submitted their response to the noticeHowever in contravention to the provisions of law the adjudicating authority confirmed the provisional attachment order on September 18 2024 This order clearly states that the attachment is confirmed only till the conclusion of trial and is subject to its outcome the pleas saidThe petitioners Shetty and Kundra on October 3 received two notices dated September 27 2024 directing them to vacate their residential premises and the farmhouse the petitions said as per the PTIThe petitions said that no eviction ordernotice can be issued prior to convictionThe pleas added that their residential premise has no connection with the scheduled offence or any proceeds of crimeThe petitions further claimed that Raj Kundra had absolutely no connection with the alleged fraudwith PTI inputs