The High Court of Karnataka has stayed the action the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in provisionally attaching certain properties of Kannada actor Harshavardini Ranya, who has been arrested in a gold smuggling case, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering (PML) Act.Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed the interim order on a petition filed by Ranya, who had questioned the correctness of the order of provisional attachment issued by the ED on July 4, 2025.Her advocate had contended that though the predicate offence (the offence of smuggling), based on which the ED had initiated proceedings under the PML Act, is of the year 2025, the ED has attached even some of the properties that she had acquired prior to the registration of gold smuggling case.Citing a 2023 judgment of the apex court in the case of Pavana Dibbur Vs. ED, the actor’s advocate contended that the properties acquired prior to the commission of predicate offence, which is scheduled offence (of smuggling) under PML Act, cannot be included in the provisional attachment.“Prima Facie, this court finds that the impugned attachment, insofar as it covers properties acquired before the commission of the alleged predicate offence, is without jurisdiction. The matter, therefore, requires consideration in the light of the law laid down by the Supreme Court in Pavana Dibbur case,” the High Court observed while staying the ED’s order of provisional attachment, till next date of hearing of the petition.Published - September 12, 2025 06:56 pm IST