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ED names Jacqueline as accused in PMLA case linked to conman Sukesh
The supplementary charge sheet names only her as an accused, officials said, adding that court has listed the matter on August 31 for taking cognizance.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet naming actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in its money laundering probe against conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, people familiar with the development said.
Asserting that Fernandez had received the “proceeds of crime”, given to her by jailed conman in the form of expensive gifts over a period of time, ED charged the Bollywood actor under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before a Delhi court.
The supplementary charge sheet names only her as an accused, officials said, adding that court has listed the matter on August 31 for taking cognizance.
Fernandez, without directly commenting on the case, shared an anonymous motivational quote on her Instagram account – “Dear me, I deserve all good things, I’m powerful, I accept myself. It’ll all be ok. I’m strong, I’ll achieve my goals and dreams. I can do it (sic),”
In April this year, the agency had attached Fernandez’s funds worth ₹ 7.27 crore — fixed deposits worth ₹7.12 crore and ₹15 lakh cash — terming the money as “proceeds of crime”.
She was examined twice in the case, in August and October last year.
Chandrasekhar, currently lodged in Tihar prison, had gifted her several expensive items including three designer bags from Gucci and Chanel; two Gucci outfits for gym wear, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones and two Hermes bracelets other than a Mini Cooper car to Fernandez, which she said she had returned.
“During investigation, it was revealed that Sukesh Chandrasekhar had given various gifts worth ₹5.71 crore to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities including extortion. He had put his long-time associate and co-accused in this case, Pinky Irani, to deliver the said gifts to the actress. In addition to these gifts, he had also given funds to the tune of $ 1,72,913 and AUD 26,740 to the close family members of Jacqueline Fernandez through co-accused Avtar Singh Kochhar, an established and well known international hawala operator,” ED said in a statement in April.
It further said Chandrasekhar had also delivered cash worth ₹15 lakh to a script writer on behalf of Fernandez as an advance for writing a script of her web series project.
The actress had admitted during her questioning earlier that she got expensive gifts from the conman as well as expensive holidays in private jets but she never participated in any illicit financial deals with him.
Chandrasekhar was arrested by the Delhi Police in April 2017 in the infamous Election Commission (EC) bribery case where it was alleged that he took money from AIADMK (Amma) leader T T V Dhinakaran to bribe EC officials in connection with a dispute over the AIADMK “two leaves” poll symbol.
While lodged in Tihar jail, he called people by impersonating as senior government officer from different key departments of government of India.
Adopting the modus operandi, he contacted Aditi Singh, wife of former Ranbaxy promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh, in 2020 posing as union home secretary, union law secretary, officer from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), etc and extorted more than ₹200 crore from her over a period of one year on the pretext of contribution to party funds, ED said in April this year.
Aditi Singh had claimed during her examination that she received a call in June 2020 from a man posing as a senior official of the law ministry who offered to help her secure bail for her husband, who was in jail at that time, in return for money.
During raids at his premises in August last year, ED had found properties including a plush bungalow in Chennai, 26 cars, Indian currency, valuables etc valued at ₹ 45 crore.
The ED has arrested eight people in this case till now including Chandrshekhar, his wife Leena Maria Paul, Pinky Irani, and has also filed two charge sheets before a Delhi court.
