Jacqueline Fernandez has issued a statement denying that she ever dated Sukesh Chandrashekhar amidst the money laundering investigation that has seen the Bollywood star questioned twice by the Indian Enforcement Directorate authority.
Chandrashekhar, who is at the centre of a probe for allegedly cheating and extorting money to the tune of Rs2 billion, is currently behind bars along with his wife Leena Maria Paul.
Chandrashekhar’s lawyer Anant Malik has now made the claim that Fernandez was in a relationship with his client.
“[Bollywood star] Nora Fatehi claims to be a victim but she was gifted a BMW car. Apart from that Jacqueline and Sukesh were dating, these are my instructions... This is straight from the horse’s mouth. They are the ultimate beneficiaries, that is why they are being called for questioning,” Sukesh’s lawyer was quoted as saying in court.
However, the star’s spokesperson has denied the allegations. “Jacqueline Fernandez is being called to testify as a witness by the ED. She has duly recorded her statements and in future will also be completely cooperating with the agency in the investigations. Jacqueline also categorically denies alleged slanderous statements made about the relationship with the involved couple,” the actor’s representative said in a statement.
Earlier, Fatehi, who has also been interviewed by the ED several times, also had her spokesperson deny claims of her involvement in the case beyond helping with the investigation. “We would like to make it very clear that she has not been a part of any money laundering activity, she does not know or have any personal connection with the accused and has been called by ED to strictly help with the investigation,” the statement said.
Chandrasekhar, who is also known by the name Balaji, reportedly conned people by promising them jobs. Aside from posing as a relative of a politician, the conman is also accused of running an extortion racket from inside Tihar jail.
Chandrasekhar and his wife Leena Paul were recently taken into custody by the ED while they were already in jail. The Bollywood stars in question have been linked to him and have been questioned by the authority over the past few weeks.
