India, April 28 -- The Karnataka high court on Monday temporarily stayed all proceedings initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Amnesty International India Private Limited (AIIP), the now-defunct Indian unit of the Amnesty International network, and its former director, journalist and author Aakar Patel.

Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar granted the interim relief to AIIP and Patel, directing ED not to take any further steps against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) until further orders. The court also issued a notice to ED, seeking its response to the petitions filed by AIIP and Patel seeking quashing of the complaint and all related proceedings.

The case stems from a prosecution complaint, a document ...