Mumbai: In a significant development for Rhea Chakraborty, the Supreme Court has rejected a plea from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Maharashtra government that challenged the Bombay High Court’s decision to quash look-out circulars (LOCs) against her, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and their father, Lt Col Indrajit Chakraborty (retd). This decision pertains to the investigation into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Justice S. Ravindra Bhat expressed disapproval of the CBI’s petition, labeling it as “frivolous” and indicating that it was motivated by the high-profile nature of the case. He remarked that such actions could lead to exemplary costs for the CBI. The court emphasized that merely because a person involved is prominent, it does not justify the filing of such petitions.
The Bombay High Court had previously annulled the LOCs issued in 2020, which had barred Rhea and her family members from leaving the country. These LOCs were intended to prevent them from evading investigation related to Rajput’s death.
The LOCs were initially issued following an FIR filed by Rajput’s family in Patna, which later prompted the Supreme Court to transfer the case to the CBI. The controversy surrounding Rajput’s death on June 14, 2020, has drawn significant media attention and scrutiny, resulting in investigations from multiple agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau.
During the hearings, the Supreme Court questioned the justification for the LOCs, particularly given the CBI’s delay in filing charges since the case’s inception. Rhea Chakraborty’s legal team argued that LOCs should only be issued if there is clear evidence that an accused person is evading arrest or court proceedings.
The court’s decision to uphold the Bombay High Court’s ruling marks a crucial moment in a case that has remained under public scrutiny since Rajput’s tragic passing.
