Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra to deposit Rs 60 crore before travelling abroad, orders Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has reportedly directed actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, to deposit Rs 60 crore if they wish to travel abroad, as part of an ongoing fraud investigation. The order comes amid a case where the couple has been accused of cheating a Mumbai-based businessman of a large sum of money through their company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd.

According to reports, the case was filed by Deepak Kothari, the director of Lotus Capital Financial Services Ltd, who claimed that between 2015 and 2023, Shilpa and Raj allegedly engaged in financial misconduct. Kothari alleged that the duo approached him for a Rs 75 crore loan to expand their television shopping venture, Best Deal TV, which promoted lifestyle and consumer products.



The proposed loan was said to carry a 12% interest rate. However, the couple later urged Kothari to invest the amount as equity, promising him monthly returns and eventual repayment of the principal amount. Believing the couple’s assurances, Kothari reportedly transferred Rs 31.95 crore in April 2015 and another Rs 28.53 crore in September 2015, a total of nearly Rs 60 crore, to the company’s bank accounts. However, according to the complaint, the businessman never received the promised returns.

He also claimed that repeated efforts to recover the funds went unanswered, and that the money was allegedly used for personal expenses instead of business purposes.

Following the complaint, the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) launched an investigation into the matter. So far, the EOW has recorded statements of five individuals, including Raj Kundra, and has been closely examining the financial transactions linked to Best Deal TV.

Earlier, in September, the EOW issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against both Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra, restricting their travel outside India without prior permission. More recently, Shilpa was questioned by EOW officials for over four hours regarding her role in the company and her financial involvement.


Meanwhile, Shilpa and Raj’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, has denied all allegations made against them. He stated that the couple is cooperating fully with the authorities and will present their version of the events to the investigating agencies in due course.

The case has drawn widespread attention, not only because of the high-profile personalities involved but also due to the magnitude of the alleged fraud. With the Bombay High Court now directing the couple to deposit ₹60 crore before travelling abroad, the legal battle seems far from over.

As the investigation continues, all eyes are on how Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra respond to the charges and whether they manage to clear their names amid mounting scrutiny from law enforcement and the public.