Bombay High Court Tells Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra to Deposit ₹60 Crore Before Considering Travel Plea

Mumbai, October 8: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said it will consider the plea of actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra seeking permission to travel abroad only after they deposit ₹60 crore, the amount allegedly involved in a cheating case filed against them.

The couple has been accused of cheating Mumbai businessman Deepak Kothari of ₹60 crore through a loan-cum-investment deal related to their firm Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd. The Juhu Police registered the case on August 14, 2025.

A division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad stated that the court could not allow leisure travel when such serious fraud allegations are pending. “Deposit the entire ₹60 crore, and only then will we consider the petition,” the bench remarked while adjourning the matter to October 14.

Shetty and Kundra have approached the High Court to suspend the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Their plea sought permission to travel abroad between October 2025 and January 2026 for both professional and personal reasons.

Their counsel clarified during the hearing that only one trip, to Phuket, was for leisure, while the rest were for work commitments. The lawyer also argued that both have been cooperating with investigators and have appeared for questioning when required.

Acknowledging their cooperation, the bench noted that it was the main reason for their non-arrest, but stressed that a financial guarantee was necessary before granting travel permission. The court also instructed the couple to submit invitations or documents confirming their professional trips.

Earlier this week, the EOW recorded Shetty’s statement at her Mumbai residence, where she claimed she had no role in the company’s daily operations. Kundra’s statement had been recorded earlier, and the LOC against both remains active.

According to the complaint, between 2015 and 2023, the couple allegedly persuaded Kothari to invest ₹60 crore in Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, but the funds were later diverted for personal use instead of business purposes.