In a significant blow to Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, the Delhi High Court on Thursday, July 3, declined her plea seeking to quash criminal proceedings against her in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
Justice Anish Dayal, presiding over the matter, dismissed Fernandez’s petition to nullify the charges and halt the ongoing trial court proceedings. The verdict came after months of deliberation; the court had reserved its decision in April following extensive arguments from all involved parties.
Fernandez had requested the quashing of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) second supplementary chargesheet and the associated trial court proceedings. Her legal team argued that she was unaware that the lavish gifts she received were funded by illicit means. They emphasized that it is not the ED’s case that she had knowledge of the gifts being connected to proceeds of crime.
Her lawyer further submitted that she came across a newspaper article in February 2019 raising questions about Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s activities, but stressed that such media reports are not admissible as evidence. He also argued that Fernandez had been misled by co-accused Pinky Irani, who allegedly convinced her that Sukesh was being unfairly targeted due to his political ties.
The ED, however, opposed Fernandez’s petition, stating that it was not maintainable. The agency pointed out that the special court had already taken cognisance of the chargesheet and found prima facie evidence to proceed with the case. Moreover, Fernandez had not challenged the cognisance order itself – a critical procedural lapse, according to the ED.
Sukesh Chandrasekhar, the central figure in the case, is currently in jail, accused of duping the wives of former Ranbaxy promoters Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh of ₹200 crore. He, along with his wife Leena Paulose and several others, allegedly used hawala networks and shell companies to launder the funds.
While Fernandez’s legal team insists she had no knowledge of the criminal origins of the gifts, the court’s decision ensures that the case against her will proceed in the lower court as planned.
Chandrasekhar is also facing multiple other investigations across India in connection with similar fraudulent schemes.
