Sushant Rajput death: SC dismisses CBI plea challenging quashing of LOCs against Rhea Chakraborty, family
A LOC is typically issued by investigative agencies to alert the Bureau of Immigration to either prevent a person from leaving the countr
PTC Web Desk: In a relief for actress Rhea Chakraborty, the Supreme Court 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 the look-out circulars (LOCs) issued against her, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and her father Lt Col Indrajit Chakraborty (retd) in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
A Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan criticised the petition as "frivolous," suggesting that it was only pursued because of the high-profile nature of the accused. According to a report from Live Law, Justice Gavai orally remarked, "This is a frivolous petition, filed only because one of the accused is a high-profile individual... Both persons have strong societal ties." The judge further cautioned that the court could impose exemplary costs on the petitioners.
The Supreme Court’s remarks came when CBI’s counsel requested a pass over on the matter. Justice Gavai added, "If you seek costs and some compliments for the CBI, we will consider a pass over," highlighting the court’s dissatisfaction with the merit of the petition.
In February, the Bombay High Court had cancelled the LOCs issued by the CBI in 2020 against Rhea Chakraborty and her family members in relation to the Sushant Singh Rajput case. The court’s decision followed petitions from the Chakraborty family challenging the legality of the LOCs, which had restricted their ability to travel abroad.
A LOC is typically issued by investigative agencies to alert the Bureau of Immigration to either prevent a person from leaving the country, detain them, or inform the agency concerned if the individual attempts to exit India. The high court’s order followed an earlier vacation Bench decision in December, which had temporarily suspended the LOC to allow Rhea Chakraborty to travel to Dubai for an event, despite CBI’s objections.
During previous hearings, the Bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande, questioned the grounds for issuing the LOCs. They pointed out that merely registering a First Information Report (FIR) against an individual may not justify such a move. The LOCs were initially issued in connection with the FIR registered in Patna by Sushant Singh Rajput’s family, which led to the case being transferred to the CBI.
The court also raised concerns about the prolonged investigation, noting that the case had been pending since 2020 without a charge sheet being filed by the CBI. The judges emphasised the need for finality in legal proceedings and questioned the continued restrictions on the Chakraborty family’s movements.
Lawyers representing Rhea Chakraborty’s family argued that LOCs should only be issued in cases where there is clear evidence of an individual actively evading arrest or avoiding court proceedings, which they claimed was not the case here.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death on June 14, 2020, at his Bandra residence in Mumbai, led to widespread controversy and media speculation. Multiple agencies, including the CBI and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), were involved in the investigation. Rhea Chakraborty, who was in a relationship with the actor at the time, became a central figure in the case, facing allegations of involvement in his death.