HC refuses interim protection to Virbhadra’s children

The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to grant interim protection to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s two children, who have challenged the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) provisional attachment of some of their assets in a money-laundering case.

“We will give them (ED, Ministry of Finance) an opportunity to file response and then we will see if there is a need to protect you, if any. We don’t see any urgency to pass any interim order now,” a Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said.

The Bench, meanwhile, issued notices to the Enforcement Directorate and the Centre on the plea filed by Virbhadra Singh’s daughter Aprajita Kumari and son Vikramaditya Singh, who have also sought stay on the March 23 provisional attachment order (PAO) of ED, saying that it has “exceeded its jurisdiction”.

Meanewhile, the Bench has posted the next hearing on matter for April 18.