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"A frivolous petition...": Supreme Court Upholds Bombay High Court's Ruling, Cancels CBI Lookout Circular Against Rhea Chakraborty
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Bombay High Court's decision to cancel the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) lookout circular (LOC) issued against Rhea Chakraborty and her family, in connection with the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, criticized the Maharashtra government for challenging the Bombay High Court's ruling.
Justice Gavai labeled the petition as “frivolous,” suggesting it was filed merely due to the high-profile status of the accused. “We are warning. You are filing such a frivolous petition, only because one of the accused is a high-profile person... It will be with exemplary cost," he stated.
In February, the Bombay High Court had annulled the LOCs issued by the CBI in 2020, which had restricted Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and their father from traveling abroad. The court noted that the LOCs lacked sufficient justification, especially since the accused had cooperated with the investigation.
A LOC allows an investigative agency to inform immigration authorities to detain individuals or prevent them from leaving the country. The Bombay High Court’s order to lift the LOCs followed a prior suspension by a vacation bench, allowing Chakraborty to travel to Dubai despite CBI opposition.
The justices also questioned the rationale behind issuing LOCs based solely on the registration of an FIR.
Chakraborty’s lawyers argued that LOCs should only be issued if there is concrete evidence of attempts to evade arrest or court proceedings. The CBI had originally issued LOCs against Rhea Chakraborty, her brother, and their parents following an FIR filed by Sushant Singh Rajput's family in Patna, which was later transferred to the CBI.
Rhea Chakraborty and her family have been under scrutiny in connection with alleged financial misconduct related to Rajput’s death. Investigations by multiple agencies, including the CBI and Narcotics Control Bureau, followed the controversies surrounding Rajput's passing on June 14, 2020.
