MUMBAI, Oct 8 — The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said it would consider allowing actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra to travel abroad only if they deposit ₹60 crore, the amount involved in a cheating and fraud case registered against them.
A division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad made the observation while hearing the couple’s plea seeking suspension of the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by Mumbai Police in connection with the case. The couple had approached the court last month, requesting permission to travel abroad for professional commitments and a leisure trip.
“Deposit the entire amount of ₹60 crore, then we will consider the plea,” the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on October 14. The judges also remarked that the court could not permit leisure trips when the petitioners were accused in a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust.
The case, registered at Juhu Police Station on August 14, stems from a complaint by Deepak Kothari (60), a Mumbai-based businessman. Kothari alleged that between 2015 and 2023, the couple induced him to invest ₹60 crore in their company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, under a loan-cum-investment agreement. He claimed that the money was instead diverted for their personal use.
During the hearing, the couple’s lawyer told the court that only one of the planned trips — to Phuket — was for leisure, while the rest were related to professional engagements. The counsel added that Shetty and Kundra had fully cooperated with the investigation and appeared before the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) whenever summoned.
Acknowledging their cooperation, the bench noted, “That is the reason they have not been arrested.” The court also directed the couple to furnish copies of invitations or communications related to their professional events abroad.
The couple’s petition sought suspension of the LOC from October 2025 to January 2026. The LOC, issued by the EOW, prevents them from leaving the country while the probe continues.
Earlier this week, police officials said that Shetty’s statement had been recorded at her Juhu residence on October 4 during a four-hour questioning session. According to the officer, Shetty told investigators she “did not look into the affairs” of Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, the home-shopping and online retail firm she co-founded with Kundra.
The EOW had earlier questioned Kundra as part of its probe and confirmed that both he and Shetty remain directors of the company.
Officials said the court’s directive to deposit ₹60 crore before any travel permission is considered underscores its position that financial restitution is a prerequisite while the investigation into the alleged fraud remains ongoing.
