JUDGMENT

Prathiba M. Singh, J.

1. This judgment has been pronounced through video conferencing.

2. These are a batch of writ petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, challenging freezing orders passed by the Directorate of Enforcement (hereinafter “ED”) wherein the bank accounts of the Petitioners were ordered to be frozen.

3. The genesis of these disputes is a communication dated 26th September 2018 received from the Office of the Prosecutor General, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The said communication was termed as a `Request for legal assistance’ in a criminal matter involving a former Governor of Brazil, Sergio Cabral, against whom allegations of corruption and money laundering were levelled. The diversion was assessed by the Brazilian Authorities to be more than a 100 Million Dollars. According to the Brazilian Authorities, a sophisticated system of compensation was indulged in by the former Governor. As per the said allegations, more than 3000 companies from 53 countries were stated to be involved. The specific allegation in respect of Indian companies was qua a sum of 13.24 Million Dollars. The Prosecutor General relied upon the United Nations Convention against