BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has stayed the provisional attachment order issued by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) against actor Harshavardhini Ranya under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed the interim order after hearing a petition filed by Ranya questioning the legality of the ED’s provisional attachment order dated July 4.
Senior counsel appearing for Ranya argued that the predicate offence pertained to 2025 and that properties acquired by her before the alleged offence cannot form the subject of such an attachment. Referring to the Supreme Court’s order in Pavana Dibbur vs. ED, the counsel contended that the apex court had categorically held that properties acquired before the commission of a scheduled offence cannot be included in a provisional attachment.
The High Court observed that, prima facie, the impugned attachment, insofar as it covers properties acquired before the commission of the alleged predicate offence, appears to be without jurisdiction. The matter requires consideration in light of the law laid down by the Supreme Court, the court said. Accordingly, the provisional attachment order issued by the ED against the petitioner has been stayed until the next hearing.