In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez to appear for questioning yesterday in an ongoing high-profile Rs-2 billion money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
Fernandez has been asked to depose before the investigators at the ED headquarters in the national capital.
She was earlier questioned several times by the ED officials in the case for her links with Chandrashekhar, who is accused of extorting substantial sums from various individuals and allegedly using the funds to sustain a luxurious lifestyle.
The ED seeks to probe Fernandez’s connection to Chandrashekhar and her potential involvement in the laundering activities.
Fernandez has been accused of receiving gifts from Chandrashekhar that were bought with extortion money. She has also been accused of being an accomplice to money laundering, but she claims to be an innocent victim of Chandrashekhar’s schemes.
Chandrashekhar is accused of extorting Rs2 billion from Aditi Singh, the wife of former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Singh.
The Delhi High Court has asked the ED to respond to Fernandez’s plea seeking the quashing of the FIR and supplementary chargesheet filed against her.
The ED has opposed Fernandez’s plea, stating that she has not refuted the allegations that she received gifts worth Rs71.2 million from Chandrasekhar and gifts worth Rs11.2 million that were delivered to her sister in Sri Lanka.
