The Delhi High Court has issued a formal notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to a petition from Sateesh Seth, who is contesting his arrest in a money laundering case linked to Reliance Communications (RCom). This legal action arises from concerns over the propriety of his detention and subsequent remand.

Seth, a former Group Managing Director of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, was confined in relation to another money laundering investigation prior to this case. He has challenged his arrest on the grounds that he was apprehended while already in judicial custody, questioning the legality of the ED’s actions.

The notice was triggered by petitions filed by advocates Sumer Singh Boparai and Surya Pratap Singh, which raise significant legal issues surrounding the consequences of Seth’s arrest.

Legal Arguments Presented by Seth’s Advocates

On July 28, Justice Prateek Jalan directed the ED to respond within one week, scheduling a hearing for August 12. During the proceedings, it was highlighted that Seth’s arrest occurred on July 9 in connection with an ED case officially registered on August 26, 2025, raising questions about the timing and validity of the remand.

Advocate Boparai argued that the detention process was flawed, as the ED allegedly did not provide written grounds for the arrest to any family member, contravening legal precedents established by the Supreme Court in the case of Vihaan Kumar v. State of Haryana, as well as Article 22(1) of the Constitution and Section 48 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

The petitioners assert that failing to disclose the reasons for arrest has resulted in serious and irreparable harm, as neither Seth’s family nor his legal counsel were informed of the basis for his detention or the charges involving the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Background of the Case and Related Arrests

On July 10 at 11:19 am, Nayan Seth, the son of Sateesh Seth, reportedly sent an email to the Investigating Officer, inquiring about the status of legal proceedings connected to his father’s arrest. This inquiry was made shortly before the ED submitted its applications seeking production and remand orders at 1:10 pm, yet the family did not receive the necessary written justifications for the arrest.

The petition alleges that the lack of communication denied the family the opportunity to respond adequately to the charges, leading to a compounded disadvantage as Seth was already incarcerated at Tihar Jail under prior judicial custody.

Furthermore, the ED has previously detained individuals associated with the RCom money laundering case, including Punit Narendra Garg, who was arrested in 2025. A chargesheet against Garg and Vaishali Mane has already been filed, and the court took cognisance of it on June 15. Another individual, Gautam Bhailal Doshi, was apprehended by the ED on June 12 in relation to the same investigation.

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