The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said it would consider the plea filed by actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra to travel abroad only if they deposit ₹60 crore—the amount allegedly involved in a cheating case registered against them.
A case was filed at Juhu police station on August 14 following a complaint by businessman Deepak Kothari (60), who accused the couple of duping him of nearly ₹60 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal.
Plea To Suspend LOC
Last month, Shetty and Kundra approached the High Court seeking suspension of the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The couple claimed the LOC had restricted their travel for professional and personal purposes, and requested temporary suspension between October 2025 and January 2026.
According to Kothari’s complaint, between 2015 and 2023, the couple allegedly induced him to invest ₹60 crore in their company, Best Deal TV Pvt. Ltd., but later diverted the funds for personal use.
‘Deposit the Entire Amount, Then We Will Consider’
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad made it clear that the court could not permit leisure travel while the couple faced allegations of cheating and fraud.
“Deposit the entire amount of ₹60 crore, then we will consider the plea,” the bench stated, posting the matter for further hearing on October 14.
The court also sought copies of invitations or official communications related to Shetty’s claimed professional commitments abroad.
‘Leisure & Professional Trips’
Appearing for the couple, their lawyer clarified that only one trip—to Phuket—was for leisure, while the rest were work-related. He argued that both Shetty and Kundra had fully cooperated with the investigation and had appeared before the police for questioning whenever required.
The court acknowledged their cooperation, observing that it was the reason they had not been arrested so far.
Statements Recorded By EOW
According to officials, a team from the EOW recorded Shilpa Shetty’s statement at her Mumbai residence on October 4, questioning her for over four hours. She reportedly told police that she did not look into the daily affairs of Best Deal TV Pvt. Ltd., which she co-founded with Kundra.
Previously, the EOW had also recorded Raj Kundra’s statement and subsequently issued the LOC against both. The company, once a home shopping and online retail platform, has been under scrutiny following allegations of financial misappropriation.
The court will next hear the matter on October 14, when the couple’s compliance with the deposit condition is expected to be reviewed.
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