Deposit Rs 60 crore or bank guarantee to travel to London: HC to Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty
A division bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Ranjitsinha R Bhonsale was hearing an interim application in a plea challenging the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against the couple.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday orally asked actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband businessman Raj Kundrato deposit Rs. 60 crore or produce bank guarantee from a nationalised bank of the said amount for suspension of the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them in a cheating case to visit his ailing father in London. The court had earlier asked the couple to deposit Rs 60 crore to travel abroad for work purpose.
A division bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Ranjitsinha R Bhonsale was hearing an interim application in a plea challenging the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them in connection with the probe by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Maharashtra Police in a Rs 60 crore cheating case. The LOC restricts their travel abroad.
On October 6, another bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar had orally asked the couple to deposit Rs 60 crore before pursuing their plea to travel abroad for work purpose. In the same month, the same bench had orally asked Shetty as to why she cannot become an approver in the cheating case. This came after her lawyer said there was no specific allegations against her and there was no direct connection between the alleged crime and Kundra’s company in question.
The petitioners, through senior advocate Aabad Ponda, submitted that last month, Kundra’s father was diagnosed with a chronic and unexplained iron-ammonia deficiency that is causing blood loss and several other complications. The petitioners added that Kundra’s father was experiencing recurrent episodes of breathlessness and his health condition was deteriorating, therefore the couple sought approval to travel to London at the earliest, until January 20, 2026.
On Wednesday, Ponda told the Justice Gadkari-led bench that the applicant’s father, who is a resident of UK, is 79-years old and his haemoglobin count has fallen and the mother is 78-year-old. Therefore, the applicants were required to be with them.
“Give guarantee of the amount and go,” the judge orally remarked. Ponda said the Supreme Court has deprecated the practice of seeking deposit of the amount involved in the case for suspension of LOCs. He added that there was no law which stipulated deposit of the amount.
“What if you do not come back? What happens then? Government of India should go and check? Show me your clients’ bonafide. We will admit your plea and hear it,” Justice Gadkari orally responded
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Public Prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh said the previous bench too had orally asked the applicants to deposit Rs. 60 crore for consideration of their plea.
After the judges said the court will hear the plea after three weeks, the applicants’ lawyer sought urgent hearing and sought if any reasonable security or amount can be deposited, instead of depositing the entire amount of Rs. 60 crore. “Prosecution has shown some apprehension. Either deposit amount or produce bank guarantee of the nationalised bank of the said amount,” said Justice Gadkari and posted further hearing next week.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
