The Supreme Court dismissed petitions from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the State of Maharashtra and the Bureau of Immigration, on Friday, challenging the Bombay High Court’s decision to quash Look-out Circulars (LOCs) issued against actress Rhea Chakraborty.
The court’s decision also extends relief to her brother, Showik Chakraborty, and her father, Lt Colonel Indrajit Chakraborty, an army veteran, as it upheld the High Court’s favourable ruling for the family.
The original LOCs were issued by the CBI as part of its investigation into the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. In February, the Bombay High Court had cancelled these LOCs, allowing the Chakraborty family the freedom to travel internationally. Following this decision, the CBI challenged the High Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan took a critical stance against the CBI’s appeal, deeming the petition “frivolous” and suggesting it was filed solely because the case involved high-profile individuals. Justice Gavai also cautioned the CBI’s counsel against filing unwarranted appeals, hinting that if the CBI pressed further, the court might consider imposing costs.
Previously, Bombay High Court Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande had ruled in favour of the Chakrabortys’ petition to lift the LOCs that restricted their international travel.
The high-profile case involving the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found deceased in his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020, has been under intense public scrutiny and has prompted investigations by multiple agencies, including the CBI and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
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