ED decides to name Jacqueline Fernandez as accused in ₹200 crore money laundering case

|HT|

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez who has been questioned in connection with the ₹200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar is likely to be named as an accused in the case. The Enforcement Directorate has decided to name her as, according to the agency's claim, the actor was aware of the extortion. ED seizes assets worth ₹7cr of actor Jacqueline Fernandez.

The ED is expected to file a supplementary charge sheet or prosecution complaint in the money laundering case before a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court in Delhi on Wednesday. Officials confirmed that Jacqueline has been "arraigned" in it as an accused.

During interrogation, Jacqueline admitted to having been gifted by Sukesh Chandrashekhar but the actor refused to have any knowledge of the money laundering case. According to ED, Sukesh Chandrashekhar gave gifts worth ₹5.71 crore to the actor, including cars, diamond jewellery, a horse, three Persian cats etc.

In an earlier statement, ED said, "...funds to the tune of USD 1,72,913 (about ₹1.3 crore as per current exchange rate) and AUD 26740 (approx. ₹14 lakh) to the close family members of Fernandez out of the proceeds of crime through co-accused Avtar Singh Kochhar, an established and well known international hawala operator."

Jacqueline earlier told the ED officials that she was approached by Sukesh with scripts and Sukesh initially gave a false identity to her as well. Pinky Irani was the contact person between Sukesh and Jacqueline.

The case the ED is investigating is based on an FIR filed by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing against Sukesh who was allegedly contacting people by spoofing calls impersonating government officers. From the jail, he allegedly contacted Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Religare Enterprises Shivinder Mohan Singh, and extorted ₹200 crore money from her over one year. In his calls, he claimed to be Union home secretary, Union law secretary, an officer from the PMO etc. In exchange for the money, he promised bail for her jailed husband. Investigation into this case led ED to Jacqueline who was even photographed with Sukesh.

(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)