Actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra are currently involved in a Rs 60 crore cheating case. Amid this, they appealed to the Bombay High Court to suspend the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them by the police so that they can travel abroad for work and leisure. On Wednesday, while hearing the matter, the court said that it would consider the plea only if they deposit Rs 60 crore, the amount involved in a cheating case against them.
About the complaint against Shilpa and Raj
A case was registered against Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra, at Juhu police station in Mumbai on August 14 for allegedly duping businessman Deepak Kothari (60) of nearly Rs 60 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal. The complaint was lodged against the couple by Kothari, alleging that between 2015 to 2023, they had induced him to invest Rs 60 crore in their company Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, but the amount was used for their own personal benefits.
`Deposit Rs 60 crore`
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad on Wednesday said it cannot permit leisure trips when the duo is accused in the cheating and fraud case.
The couple`s lawyer told the court that only one trip to Phuket was leisure, but the rest of the trips were all for professional work. The lawyer added that the couple has cooperated with the probe and has also appeared for questioning.
The high court then said that because of their cooperation, they have not been arrested. The bench also sought a copy of the invitation or any other form of communication for the professional events that Shetty had to attend. The HC then said it would consider the petition only after the entire amount of Rs 60 crore is deposited.
“Deposit the entire amount of Rs 60 crore, then we will consider the plea,” the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on October 14.
The couple`s petition has sought suspension of the LOC from October 2025 to January 2026.
Shilpa Shetty questioned by Mumbai police
Shetty has told the Mumbai police that she did not look into the affairs of the company she co-founded with her businessman husband Raj Kundra, during her questioning in connection with the Rs 60 crore cheating case, an official said on Tuesday. A team from the police`s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) recorded the actor`s statement at her residence on October 4 and questioned her for more than four hours, the official said.
(with inputs from PTI)
