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The bench questioned Sirsat about whether the CBI would compensate if she is unable to travel abroad and fulfil her contractual obligation. During the hearing, the bench also emphasized to the CBI that Rhea was an actor, not an industrialist, highlighting that she had to return to India to earn her livelihood.
The Bombay High Court has temporarily suspended the Look Out Circular (LoC) issued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Bollywood Actress Rhea Chakraborty and has granted her permission to travel to Dubai for a week.
The vacation bench of the high court, comprising Justice Kamal Khata and Justice Jitendra Jain, heard the application filed by the actress seeking permission to travel to Dubai for a promotional event of the pet food company Drools Pvt Ltd.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was investigating the actress in the Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case.
On December 20, the CBI opposed Chakraborty's application, stating that she was no longer the brand ambassador of the company and that the agency was still verifying her claims.
The CBI also argued that the FIR was filed in Patna and is being investigated by the Delhi CBI team, and therefore, the Bombay High Court does not have jurisdiction to grant relief to Chakraborty.
Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, representing Chakraborty, informed the bench that the actress intended to travel to Dubai from December 27, 2023, to January 2, 2024. Chandrachud maintained that Chakraborty was still the brand ambassador of the company.
Advocate Shreeram Sirsat informed the bench that the contract between the company and Rhea was limited only to Mumbai. However, the bench pointed out that she had already received money for both the Mumbai and Dubai events.
The bench questioned Sirsat about whether the CBI would compensate if she is unable to travel abroad and fulfil her contractual obligation.
During the hearing, the bench also emphasized to the CBI that Rhea was an actor, not an industrialist, highlighting that she had to return to India to earn her livelihood.
The division bench of the high court questioned the CBI about why it was opposing the application, especially when the actress was not required for any probe in the last 6 months.
CBI's counsel responded, stating that a new Special Investigation Team was formed, to which the bench clarified that it was formed for other connected cases.
Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead on June 14, 2020, at his residence in Bandra. Initially, the investigation was carried out by the Mumbai Police, which filed a report indicating accidental death.
However, Rajput's father lodged an FIR in Bihar, alleging that Rajput's girlfriend and her family abetted his suicide.
Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Supreme Court, which is currently investigating the matter.
The Enforcement Directorate is also conducting an investigation into Rhea and her family over allegations of money laundering.
Furthermore, the Narcotics Control Bureau is probing claims that Rhea was involved in drug consumption and may have provided drugs to Rajput.
Disha Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential flat in Malad. The Mumbai Police had registered an Accidental Death Report in her case.
Case title: Rhea Chakraborty vs CBI
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