Post by : Rameen Ariff

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s plea to lift a lookout notice in connection with the Rs60-crore fraud case involving her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, was rejected by the Bombay High Court on Monday. The court emphasized that repayment of the allegedly defrauded amount is mandatory before any relief can be considered.

Shilpa Shetty had approached the court claiming that she was merely a nominal director of Kundra’s now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Private Limited, and played no active role in its operations. Despite this, the division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad dismissed her plea, stating that her travel restrictions would remain until the full amount is repaid.

“If you wish to travel abroad, first become a government witness,” the bench remarked, highlighting the court’s firm stance on financial accountability in the case. Additionally, the judges instructed Shetty to submit a detailed affidavit by October 16 explaining her connection with the company. Raj Kundra is also required to provide an affidavit confirming that Shilpa Shetty was not involved in the company’s day-to-day operations.

The case stems from a complaint by businessman Deepak Kothari, who alleges that loans and investments totaling approximately Rs60 crore made to Best Deal TV between 2015 and 2023 were misused for personal gain. Raj Kundra defended himself, claiming that the company suffered huge losses following demonetisation, which hindered repayment of the loans.

So far, both Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra have cooperated with authorities. Shilpa was questioned at her residence for over four hours on October 4, while Kundra has appeared twice before the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). However, the court clarified that no travel or relief will be granted until the full Rs60 crore is repaid to the complainant.

This ruling underscores the judiciary’s focus on financial responsibility in high-profile cases and serves as a reminder that cooperation with authorities does not exempt individuals from legal obligations or repayment requirements.

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