The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Maharashtra government's appeal against the Bombay High Court's decision to quash the Look Out Circulars (LOCs) issued for actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and their father in connection with the investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

A Division Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan labeled the petition as frivolous, noting that it appeared to be motivated solely by the involvement of a high-profile individual. Recognizing the Court's stance, the state counsel stated, "My instructions are to bow down to the Court." In response, the Court remarked, "We were eager to commend the CBI. Please refrain from filing such petitions."

Following this exchange, the Court dismissed the appeal.

The LOCs had been issued by immigration authorities at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating Rajput's death based on a complaint from his family. The Bombay High Court had previously quashed the LOCs in February, determining that the CBI had not adequately justified their issuance. The High Court emphasized that simply mentioning an FIR or summarizing its contents is insufficient grounds for issuing an LOC.

This ruling was subsequently challenged by the state before the Supreme Court, which upheld the High Court's decision today.

Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in September 2020, following Rajput's death. She received bail from the Bombay High Court a month later, a decision that became final after the Centre opted not to contest it in the Supreme Court.

Chakraborty later petitioned the Bombay High Court, claiming that the ongoing LOCs hindered her ability to meet work commitments abroad. She argued that LOCs are typically issued only when an accused is evading arrest, which was not applicable in her case. The High Court granted her and her family relief in February, prompting the state’s appeal to the Supreme Court.