Virbhadra moves HC for reasons behind search of premises

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today moved the Delhi High Court seeking directions to Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provide him with the reasons on the basis of which search and seizure was carried out at his premises in a money laundering case.
The petition was moved before Justice Manmohan who listed the matter for hearing on May 23.
Singh in his petition has sought quashing of the April 19 order of the adjudicating authority and the May 12 decision of the appellate tribunal which dismissed his pleas to provide him with the "reasons to believe" which formed the basis for the search and seizure of documents.

In his plea, he has contended that "reasons for initiating the search are ex-facie illegal, arbitrary and liable to be quashed".
The petition also states that he was made a party in a plea by ED for retention of documents seized by it, "without forming any reason to believe and by mechanically issuing the notice".