1. These writ petitions have raised common questions of law of general interest involving provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (for short, “PMLA”) in the context of a case under investigation with Enforcement Directorate of Ministry of Finance in the Government of India (Headquarters Investigation), it having been described as Enforcement Case Information Report No.ECIR/HQ/02/HIU/2015 registered on 27.10.2015 (for short, “ECIR”) and, therefore, have been heard together and are being decided through this common judgment.

THE PETITIONS

2. It may be mentioned at the outset that the first petitioner (Shri Virbhadra Singh) in the first above captioned petition (the first petition or case) has been in active political and public life for last several decades, having been a member of the Union legislature or the legislature of the State of Himachal Pradesh from where he hails, and during such period having served as a Minister of the Union of India or Minister in the cabinet in the Government of Himachal Pradesh, he presently being the Chief Minister. The second petitioner (Smt. Pratibha Singh) of the said first petition is his wife.

3. The names of the other thre