The Delhi High Court today asked Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with a money laundering case lodged against him.
Justice Vipin Sanghi asked Singh's wife Pratibha to cooperate with ED when she appears before it on August 9.
The court, however, asked ED not to take any coercive step against her on August 9 and in case it wants to further question her it will have to give reasons for it.
"In case the ED wants to further question her (Pratibha Singh), they will have to file a status report before it on August 24 and inform about the instances on basis of which they further want to interrogate her," the court said.
Pratibha had not appeared before ED yesterday and has been asked to present herself before the agency on August 9.
The court's order came on Singh's wife's plea seeking a direction to ED not to take any coercive step against her in the wake of the arrest of an LIC agent in the case.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the CM's wife, told the court that she has no problem in joining the questioning by ED, but the agency should ensure that it will not take any coercive step against her.
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain said that he was not in a position to give an undertaking that she will not be arrested as at the time of interrogation it will be upto the officer concerned to decided whether her further custody is required or not.
He, however, said that on August 9, the agency will not take any such step and will file a status report with regard to the interrogation that takes place that day.
The ASG said that in case any further appearance is required or her custody is required, it will be indicated in the status report.
The court agreed with the ASG and said that the agency shall not take any coercive step.
Besides his wife, Singh has also moved the court, seeking protection from arrest in the case. However, he has not been summoned by ED so far.
(Reopens LDG21)
In his plea, Singh has said he apprehended that ED might arrest him on the basis of an alleged disclosure statement of insurance agent Anand Chauhan, who was recently arrested from Chandigarh in connection with the case.
Chauhan was arrested by ED under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case.
The probe agency had alleged that Singh, while serving as the Union Steel Minister, had invested huge amounts in purchasing LIC policies in his and his family members' names through Chauhan.
ED had earlier termed as "premature" the plea filed by Singh and others seeking quashing of the money laundering proceedings.
It had said the plea seeking stay on the proceedings was "not maintainable" as the inquiry into the matter was in a preliminary stage.
ED had last year lodged the case against Singh and others under PMLA after taking cognisance of a criminal complaint filed by CBI in this regard.
CBI had lodged a separate disproportionate assets case against Singh and others alleging that he and his family members had amassed wealth of Rs 6.1 crore between 2009 and 2011 disproportionate to the known sources of income.
Earlier, CBI had moved Delhi High Court after the Supreme Court transferred its plea seeking vacation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court's interim order restraining it from arresting, interrogating or filing a charge sheet against Virbhadra.
