How did conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar befriend actor Jacqueline Fernandez? Using Jayalalithaa, home ministry's name

Jacqueline Fernandez has said Sukesh Chandrashekhar contacted her posing as the owner of Sun TV. He also said the actor that he belonged to Jayalalithaa's family.

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the ₹200 crore money laundering case, the mastermind of which is conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. In its chargesheet, the agency mentioned Jacqueline's name as the actor was believed to have received expensive gifts from the conman. An intimate photo of the actor with Sukesh went viral a few months ago, confirming that the actor indeed was close to Sukesh.

Jacqueline Fernandez said she too has been fooled by conman Sukesh Chadrashekhar. 

Now that Jacqueline has been questioned by the ED several times, the actor reportedly told the agency that she too was conned by Sukesh as the conman made a "spoofed" call replicating the office number of Union home minister Amit Shah, a PTI report said. Chandrashekhar introduced him as "Shekhaar Ratne Vela", the actor has told the agency.

Based on what Jacqueline told the agency, ED said that Sukesh was trying to get in touch with Jacqueline over many weeks in December 2020 and January 2021 but the actor said she gets many such calls and did not report. According to reports, her makeup artist got a call that said the caller was from a government office and that Jacqueline must get in touch with some Shekhar. When the actor complied, Sukesh introduced himself as the owner of Sun TV. He also said he was from the political family of Jayalalithaa. Sukesh apparently told Jacqueline that Sun TV has many projects and Jacqueline should do films in the south industries.

During the course of their acquaintance, Jacqueline received gifts like three designer bags from Gucci and Chanel, two Gucci gym wear outfits, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones and two Hermes bracelets. The actor said she returned a Mini Cooper car that she received as a gift.

(With agency inputs)