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The Supreme Court of India delivered a decisive ruling on Monday, dismissing a petition aimed at restoring the Look-Out Circulars (LOCs) issued against actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and her father in the high-profile Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The petition was filed by the Maharashtra government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Bureau of Immigration, seeking to overturn a previous decision by the Bombay High Court that had quashed the LOCs.
A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan delivered a scathing judgment, labeling the petition as “frivolous” and asserting that it was solely motivated by the high-profile nature of the accused individuals. The court voiced strong disapproval, stating, “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.” This sharp rebuke underscores the court’s frustration with attempts to use legal proceedings for publicity rather than pursuing legitimate legal arguments.
The LOCs, issued in August 2020, aimed to prevent individuals facing criminal charges from leaving the country or to detain them upon attempting foreign travel. The circular targeted Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, her father Indrajit Chakraborty, her mother Sandhya, and an army veteran associated with the family. However, the Bombay High Court, in February of this year, quashed the LOCs, citing the lack of any justifications for their issuance and their failure to undergo the mandatory review process outlined in the Consolidated Guidelines.
The Supreme Court’s rejection of the petition reinforces the Bombay High Court’s decision and sends a strong message against the misuse of LOCs for publicity purposes. The case highlights the importance of adhering to legal processes and the need to avoid using high-profile individuals as pawns in legal battles. While the case itself centers on the Sushant Singh Rajput death investigation, the court’s remarks resonate with broader concerns about the potential for abuse in legal proceedings when public figures are involved.
Source: Top court rejects plea to reinstate lookout notice against actor Rhea Chakraborty