Bombay HC bars Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra from foreign travel without ₹60 crore deposit

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra to deposit ₹60 crore before their plea seeking permission to travel abroad could be considered. The couple had approached the court requesting the suspension of a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with an alleged ₹60 crore fraud case.

The court’s stern direction

The division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad observed that, given the gravity of the allegations, the petitioners must first deposit the disputed sum before seeking any relaxation in travel restrictions. The court also refused to stay the LOC, emphasizing that until the financial dispute is addressed, international travel cannot be permitted.

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Shetty and Kundra had sought temporary suspension of the LOC to travel abroad between October 2025 and January 2026, citing professional and business commitments, including a YouTube event in Colombo later this month. However, the court noted that the couple failed to provide formal invitations or supporting documents for the trip.

The matter has now been adjourned to October 14 for further hearing.

What is the case about?

The case stems from a complaint filed by Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services, who accused the couple of cheating him out of nearly ₹60 crore. According to the complaint, between 2015 and 2023, Shetty and Kundra allegedly convinced Kothari to invest in their company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, which was promoted as India’s first celebrity-based teleshopping platform.

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Kothari claimed that the duo initially sought a ₹75 crore loan at a 12% interest rate but later persuaded him to treat the amount as an investment, promising monthly returns. He alleged that ₹31.95 crore was transferred in April 2015 and another ₹28.53 crore in September 2015, both to Best Deal TV’s accounts. However, the funds were allegedly misused for personal expenses rather than business operations.

In 2016, Shetty stepped down as the company’s director, and insolvency proceedings later began against the firm for defaulting on payments to other investors.

EOW investigation and questioning

The Economic Offences Wing registered an FIR under Sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Both Shetty and Kundra have been questioned multiple times.

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On October 4, a team from the EOW questioned Shilpa Shetty at her Mumbai residence for over four hours. During the inquiry, she reportedly stated that she was not involved in the company’s day-to-day affairs and was paid only as a celebrity endorser. She also submitted documents to support her claims, which are now under verification.

Defence statement

The couple’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, has denied all allegations, stating that the claims are “baseless” and that the duo is fully cooperating with the authorities. He added that Shetty’s professional engagements abroad were legitimate and that denying her travel would amount to a violation of her fundamental right to work.

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What’s next?

The Bombay High Court’s direction effectively means that the couple’s plea for travel will only be considered after they deposit the full ₹60 crore, the amount equivalent to the alleged fraud. Until then, the LOC will remain active, preventing them from travelling abroad.

With the case continuing to unfold, all eyes are now on the October 14 hearing, which may determine whether Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra will be allowed to leave India amid ongoing investigations.