The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Maharashtra government, and Bureau of Immigration, which sought to reinstate a look-out circular against actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother, and parents. This dismissal upholds the earlier decision by the Bombay High Court, which had nullified these look-out circulars issued in 2020.
Look-out circulars were issued in connection with probe into Sushant Singh's death
The look-out circulars were originally issued in connection with the investigation into the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Following Rajput’s untimely demise, his family filed a First Information Report (FIR) in Patna, urging a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Consequently, the case was transferred to the CBI, with Chakraborty and her family becoming focal points in the investigation.
Appeal to the Supreme Court
Dissatisfied with the Bombay High Court’s decision to cancel the look-out circulars, the CBI, along with the Maharashtra government and Bureau of Immigration, appealed the ruling in the Supreme Court. They argued for maintaining travel restrictions on Chakraborty and her family, suggesting a risk of flight due to the "high-profile" nature of the case and the attention it had garnered nationally.
SC’s Ruling
A bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan found the petition lacking in seriousness and dismissed it outright. The Court noted that the appeal seemed to stem more from the "high-profile" status of the accused rather than presenting substantial evidence of flight risk or obstruction to justice. The judges emphasized that judicial processes should not be influenced by social or media pressures tied to an individual’s public profile.