Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has filed a petition with the Delhi High Court, requesting the quashing of the FIR against her in the Enforcement Directorate’s ₹200 crore money laundering case. The case involves conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Fernandez claims to be an innocent victim, stating that there is no evidence of her involvement in aiding Chandrasekhar in laundering his alleged ill-gotten wealth. She argues that she cannot be charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Fernandez also seeks the quashing of the second supplementary charge sheet and related proceedings pending before a trial court in Delhi.
The petition highlights that the prosecution complaint filed against her does not allege her knowledge of Chandrasekhar’s activities. It points out that Fernandez has been presented as a prosecution witness in the predicate offence, in which she had her statement recorded by the Special Cell of Delhi Police. The petition argues that this supports the contention that she had no knowledge of the predicate offence committed by Chandrasekhar and his associates. Therefore, the plea asserts that any proceedings arising as a consequence of the predicate offence should be quashed.
Fernandez alleges that the ED has been partisan in its treatment of the case. She points out that Nora Fatehi, despite having received gifts from Chandrasekhar, has been given a clean chit by the ED. Fernandez questions this double standard and argues that the ED has arraigned her as an accused in identical circumstances. The plea also alleges malafide investigation against her, citing the ED’s failure to arraign other artists like Nikita Tamboli, Chahatt Khanna, and Sophia Singh, who visited the Tihar jail premises.
In the ₹200 crore money laundering case against Chandrasekhar, Fernandez is listed as an accused. She has cooperated with the ED in questioning as part of the investigation. The Delhi Police had previously registered an FIR against Chandrasekhar for allegedly duping the spouses of former Ranbaxy promoters. The case also involves ongoing investigations against Chandrasekhar in several other cases across the country. Chandrasekhar and his wife Leena Paulose were previously arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with a money laundering case registered by the ED. The police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, alleging the use of hawala routes and shell companies to park the money earned from the proceeds of crime.
