Bombay High Court Suggests The Bombay High Court on Tuesday suggested that Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty consider becoming a prosecution witness, or approver, against her husband, British businessman Raj Kundra, in a high-profile Rs 60-crore cheating and fraud case. The remark came during a hearing on Shetty's plea to temporarily suspend a Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against her, allowing her to travel to Los Angeles for a professional commitment. The LOC, imposed by immigration authorities, restricts the couple's international movement amid the ongoing investigation by Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

The case stems from a criminal complaint filed by Mumbai businessman Deepak Kothari on August 14, 2025, at Juhu police station. Kothari alleges that between 2015 and 2023, he provided Rs 60.48 crore to Kundra and Shetty as loans and investments in their now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd. Instead of promised returns, the funds were allegedly diverted for personal use, constituting cheating and criminal breach of trust. Shetty, listed as a director in the firm, has maintained during EOW questioning that she did not oversee company affairs and only received some funds from Kundra. Kundra, previously embroiled in a 2021 pornography case, has been questioned by the EOW, which issued the LOC on September 5 to prevent flight risks.

During the hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad, Shetty's lawyers, Advocates Niranjan Mundargi and Keral Mehta, argued for a five-day travel window from October 22 to 27. They cited an invitation from American YouTuber MrBeast for an event, supported by flight tickets, and noted Shetty's son would accompany her while her mother and daughter stay in Mumbai with Kundra. "Only Applicant No. 2 (Shetty) wishes to travel for 5 days... she has no other case against her. She is in the entertainment business and has a shoot in Los Angeles," Mundargi stated. He emphasised Shetty's full cooperation with investigators and lack of direct accusations beyond her directorial role.

Also Read: Shilpa Shetty Raj Kundra Travel Plans Hit by Rs 60 Crore Fraud Case

Complainant's counsel, Yusuf Iqbal and Zain Shroff, opposed the plea, highlighting inconsistencies: Shetty had previously sought permission for a leisure trip to Colombo on the same dates, now reframed as work-related. The bench questioned the absence of a formal work agreement, with Mundargi explaining that none could be finalised without court approval. In a pointed quip, Chief Justice Chandrashekhar asked, "Why don’t you become an approver against Accused No. 1?"—referring to Kundra. An approver in Indian criminal law is an accused who testifies against a co-accused for a potential pardon. Mundargi humorously replied, "Tomorrow the newspapers will carry this communication like last occasion," prompting the chief justice to retort, "So be it."

The court deferred Shetty's plea, scheduling the next hearing for Thursday, October 16. This follows earlier rejections of the couple's broader petition to suspend the LOC from October 2025 to January 2026 for multiple trips, including a Phuket vacation. On October 8, the bench conditioned any relief on depositing the full Rs 60 crore, underscoring the case's gravity amid Kundra's prior economic offence charges. The development has intensified scrutiny on the celebrity couple, with the EOW probe ongoing and no chargesheet filed yet. Legal experts note that approver status could shield Shetty but risks straining personal ties, while the LOC remains a barrier to her global career obligations.

Also Read: Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra Under Fire as ₹60 Crore Fraud Investigation Heats Up