The complainant, Deepak Kothari, has urged authorities to take immediate preventive measures against accused Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Raj Kundra. Through his legal representatives, Kothari has requested the issuance of Look Out Circulars (LOCs), a travel ban, freezing of bank accounts and assets, and the appointment of a forensic auditor to trace the money trail in the case.
About The Case
The FIR, lodged on August 18, reportedly involves financial fraud amounting to several crores. According to Kothari’s lawyers, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), after a detailed preliminary inquiry, found sufficient material to register the case, reflecting “an evidence-led approach in a significant economic offence.”
Frequent Foreign Travel, Risk of Absconding
The complainant’s letter highlights that both Raj and Shilpa Shetty Kundra allegedly maintain multiple foreign residences, have a history of frequent international travel, and had previously delayed cooperation during the inquiry stage.
Kothari’s lawyers cautioned that permitting the accused to travel abroad could result in them absconding “in the manner of Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi,” which would cause “grave and irreparable prejudice” to the investigation.
Demand for Forensic Audit and Asset Freeze
The complainant has also pressed for the urgent appointment of an independent forensic auditor to: establish the complete money trail, trace related-party transactions and alleged personal enrichment of the accused, and enable the EOW to freeze accounts and assets to secure restitution.
“Failure to secure financial evidence and transactional records at the earliest creates a risk of dissipation or concealment of funds, thereby defeating the very object of the criminal process,” the letter states.
