Bollywood Star Jacqueline Fernandez Entangled in ₹200 Crore Money Laundering Case

In a significant development in the ₹200 crore money laundering case, Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez faces scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Fernandez is under investigation for her alleged involvement in a money laundering scheme orchestrated by notorious conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Despite her plea to quash the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED, the agency has declared the plea non-maintainable, emphasizing the distinct nature of money laundering offenses under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002.

The Delhi High Court recently directed the ED to respond to Jacqueline Fernandez’s petition challenging the charges against her. The ED’s opposition to the plea highlighted that Fernandez continued to accept gifts from Chandrasekhar even after becoming aware of his criminal background. In her defense, Fernandez’s legal team argued that she was an innocent victim of Chandrasekhar’s manipulative tactics and should not be prosecuted under the PMLA. They also alleged partiality by the ED in not prosecuting other individuals like Nora Fatehi, who also received gifts from Chandrasekhar.

This high-profile case has further complexities, with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police also filing a supplementary chargesheet against Pinky Irani, a close associate of Chandrasekhar, for her role in introducing him to Fernandez. The case is rooted in an FIR filed by Delhi Police’s EOW against Chandrasekhar for defrauding Aditi Singh, wife of former Religare Enterprises promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh. Chandrasekhar, known for his deceptive tactics, allegedly extorted money from Singh by posing as a government official and promising to secure bail for her husband. The case continues to unravel as further investigations and court proceedings unfold.

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