New Delhi: On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took decisive measures, issuing provisional attachment orders on the assets of Bollywood luminary Shilpa Shetty and her spouse, Ripu Sudan Kundra, popularly recognized as Raj Kundra. As reported by the ED, the Kundras possess both liquid and static properties amounting to an estimated value of around Rs 97.79 crore. This intervention aligns with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2022.

Their holdings encompass a luxurious apartment in the prestigious Juhu area of suburban Mumbai, registered under Shilpa Shetty’s name; additionally, a palatial residence in Pune and shares held by Kundra are included. The ED has refrained from divulging the specific valuations of the shares or assets placed under attachment. The legal proceedings revolve around the misuse of Bitcoin transactions to deceive investors.

The money laundering investigation stems from complaints lodged by the Delhi Police and Maharashtra Police against Variable Tech Pte Ltd, Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and assorted associates. These individuals are alleged to have amassed vast wealth from unwary investors through Bitcoin (amounting to Rs 6,600 crore in 2017), by falsely promising a 10% monthly return in the form of Bitcoins.

The ED revealed that the scheme’s organizers had defrauded investors and obscured the dishonestly gained Bitcoins within clandestine digital repositories. The agency noted that in pursuit of establishing a Bitcoin mining operation in Ukraine, Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the creator and proponent of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scheme. According to the ED, Kundra still possesses 285 Bitcoins, which now hold a value exceeding Rs 150 crore.