Delhi Court Defers Samir Modi’s Bail Plea to Sept 22, Questions LOC Issued Days After FIR in Rape Case

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vipin Kharb heard initial arguments from the defence team led by Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta, who was joined by Advocates Arshdeep Khurana, Shailendra Singh, and Surya Pratap Singh.

During the proceedings, the Court raised questions over the Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against Modi within just five days of the FIR. “You are seeking bail in police custody? I also want to know how an LOC could be issued in five days,” Justice Kharb remarked.

The defence argued that an FIR was registered on September 10 and the LOC was issued soon after, which led to Modi’s detention at Delhi’s IGI Airport on September 18 upon his return from London. He was later arrested on rape charges.

The Court noted that the police should also inquire into the counter-complaint filed by Modi alleging extortion by the complainant. On September 19, the court had already granted a two-day police remand, which was later extended by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Deepak Vats.

The Delhi Police had sought an additional three days’ remand for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the complainant’s counsel, Senior Advocate Avi Singh, sought an in-camera hearing citing the sensitive nature of the case. While defence counsel Gupta objected, saying bail pleas are not ordinarily heard in-camera, the court directed media and outsiders to exit before continuing proceedings.

Samir Modi, the brother of former IPL chief Lalit Modi, remains in police custody with the next hearing scheduled for Monday, i.e. September 22.

According to police, the complainant, a former colleague of Modi, alleged that between 2019 and 2025 she was coerced into a physical relationship under the pretext of marriage and professional advancement. She also accused him of threatening her. The woman further claimed that she was removed from her position in 2022 and later rehired.

A case was registered at the New Friends Colony Police Station under Sections 64 (rape) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigators had earlier issued a lookout circular against Modi, who was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday morning upon his arrival from abroad.