Sushant Singh Rajput case: Big relief for Rhea Chakraborty as SC dismisses CBI's plea to restore LOC

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Oct 25, 2024, 1:17 PM IST

In a relief to actor Rhea Chakraborty and her family, the Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Bombay High Court's decision to cancel CBI's lookout circular issued against them following Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

In a major relief for Rhea Chakraborty, the Supreme Court of India on Friday dismissed a petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the State of Maharashtra, and the Bureau of Immigration challenging the Bombay High Court's decision to quash Look-Out Circulars (LOCs) issued against the actress, her brother Showik, and their father, Lt. Colonel Indrajit Chakraborty, an army veteran. This decision follows the high-profile investigation surrounding the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020.

The bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, described the CBI's petition as "frivolous," suggesting it was primarily motivated by the high-profile nature of the individuals involved.

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Justice Gavai remarked, "We are warning. You are filing such a frivolous petition, only because one of the accused is a high-profile person... It will be with exemplary cost. Both persons have deep roots in society."

During the proceedings, when the CBI's counsel requested a pass over of the matter, Justice Gavai further emphasized the court's stance by stating, "If you want cost and some compliments to CBI, we will pass-over." Justice Viswanathan expressed astonishment at the issuance of LOCs in this case, questioning, "You issue LOC for all this!"

The LOCs in question were issued in August 2020 after Rajput's family filed an FIR in Patna, prompting a CBI investigation into his death. However, the Bombay High Court later quashed these LOCs, criticizing the lack of substantiated reasons for their issuance. The court noted that the LOCs had not been reviewed as required under existing guidelines, highlighting the Chakraborty family's cooperation with the investigation and their established roots in society.

The High Court stated, “The LOC cannot be kept pending indefinitely, in this case for more than 3½ years, though the petitioners have cooperated with the investigation, which fact has not been disputed. The right to travel is a fundamental right and cannot be curtailed except according to due procedure established by law."

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