In a significant turn of events, the Bombay High Court has granted interim relief to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, by staying an eviction order issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The couple had approached the court following the ED’s notice that linked them to a money laundering case involving a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
The eviction notice, dated September 27, demanded that Shetty and Kundra vacate their properties in Juhu and Pawna Lake by October 13. However, the court’s decision has now paused these proceedings, allowing the couple time to appeal before the Appellate Tribunal in Delhi.
Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra’s legal counsel, Prashant Patil, emphasized their non-involvement in the alleged Ponzi scam dating back to 2017. “Mr. Raj Kundra and Mrs. Shilpa Shetty Kundra have no connection to the alleged cryptocurrency scam. Media reports suggesting their involvement are incorrect,” stated Patil.*
The Mumbai Zonal Office of the ED had earlier provisionally attached assets worth Rs. 97.79 crore belonging to Raj Kundra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED’s investigation stemmed from multiple FIRs filed by Maharashtra and Delhi Police against M/s Variable Tech Pte Ltd and several individuals, including the late Amit Bhardwaj. The accused had allegedly duped investors of approximately Rs. 6,600 crore by promising a 10 percent monthly return through a Bitcoin scheme in 2017.*
