Bombay HC Demands Shilpa Shetty to Pay Rs. 60 Crore Before Leaving the Country

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The Bombay High Court has denied permission to Shilpa Shetty to leave the country. The bench has asked the actress to first pay Rs. 60 crore, which was fraudulently taken from Deepak Kothari. The actress was set to attend a YouTube event in Colombo.

What Did the Bombay High Court Say?

The Bombay High Court has ordered both Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra to first deposit the stolen amount of Rs. 60 crore before traveling abroad. The directive was issued while hearing the celebrity couple's request seeking the suspension of a Look Out Circular (LOC). The LOC was issued against them by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

The HC announced that they would consider their request to travel abroad after the entire amount is deposited back into Deepak Kothari’s account. The officials clearly said that they won’t permit leisure trips while such serious financial allegations are still pending. The court also sought formal evidence and details, such as invitations and communications, to verify the nature of Shilpa Shetty's claimed professional commitments abroad.

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The Bombay High Court also noted that the couple had not been arrested since they actively cooperated with the investigation. The complainant challenged the plea, pointing out to the court that Raj Kundra's British-Indian nationality suggests the possibility of the couple fleeing the country. 

About the Rs. 60 Crore Fraud Case

The Rs. 60 crore fraud case involves allegations of cheating and financial misconduct against Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra. The case revolves around their company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd., which has stopped working now. Deepak Kothari, who is the director of Lotus Capital Financial Services Ltd., filed a lawsuit against them.

Kothari alleged that the couple persuaded him to invest Rs 60 crore in their home shopping and online retail platform, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd; however, they misused the money to fulfil personal goals. 

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The Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is investigating the case thoroughly and has managed to collect statements from multiple individuals. EOW has questioned Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty for several hours regarding their role and financial involvement in the company.

After the investigation, an FIR was filed under sections related to dishonest misappropriation of property and criminal breach of trust. Furthermore, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was also issued against the couple at the EOW's request to prohibit the couple from travelling abroad.