High Court allows ED plea against de-sealing

Chandigarh, November 23

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today allowed the appeal of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), challenging the de-sealing of the Dabwali farmhouse of former Chief Minister and INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala for two weddings of his grandsons.

Appearing before the Bench of Justice Daya Chaudhary and Justice Meenakshi I Mehta, the counsel argued that the ED had taken over the property in accordance with provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the accused was prohibited from using and enjoying it under provisions of the Act.

He further stated that the order to de-seal and hand over the property for use was against the statutory provisions, aims and objectives of the Act and there was no provision for temporarily de-sealing of the property for interim use.

The case has its genesis in two applications submitted by Abhay Chautala. He was seeking interim restoration of the attached property on the grounds that the grandsons of the former Chief Minister were scheduled to get married on November 27 and 30. — TNS