In a recent development, the Bombay High Court has granted a one-week suspension of the look-out-circular (LOC) issued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against actress Rhea Chakraborty. This ruling permits Chakraborty to travel abroad for a meet-and-greet function in Dubai, organized by a pet food company, for which she serves as the brand ambassador.
The vacation bench, comprising Justice Kamal Khata and Justice Jitendra Shantilal Jain, gave the nod to the suspension, allowing Chakraborty to attend the event scheduled from December 27 to January 2.
Earlier this month, Rhea Chakraborty had approached the court seeking the suspension of the LOC related to the case registered in Patna concerning the tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. However, the bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Shyam Chandak had initially refrained from granting immediate relief due to objections raised by the CBI. The agency argued that Chakraborty was no longer the brand ambassador of the pet food company, pointing out the appointment of Kiara Advani as the new ambassador. The court has now granted the suspension despite these objections.
During the hearing, the CBI’s counsel emphasized that Rhea Chakraborty’s travel was unnecessary and contested the authenticity of the invitation letter provided by her, raising concerns about the Mumbai court entertaining a petition related to a case investigated by the Delhi CBI. However, the court maintained its jurisdiction, citing the location of the alleged crime in Mumbai.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in June 2020 triggered investigations by various agencies, including the CBI and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Rhea Chakraborty, being in a relationship with Rajput at the time, has been a central figure in these investigations. The CBI had issued LOCs against Rhea and her brother, Showik Chakraborty, as part of the investigation, restricting their foreign travel and prompting the court’s intervention.
