"Jacqueline Fernandez knowingly enjoyed crime proceeds of Sukesh Chandrashekhar"

Bollywood diva Jacqueline Fernandez knowingly ‘possessed and enjoyed’ the crime proceeds of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, said ED in Delhi High Court.

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As reported by Indian news agencies, the Enforcement Directorate of India opposed the plea of Jacqueline Fernandez in the Delhi High Court, seeking to quash the INR200 crore money laundering case against her, involving infamous conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

The ‘Kick’ actor said in her plea, “At the outset, it is submitted that evidence filed by the ED would prove that the petitioner (Fernandez) is an innocent victim of Chandrasekhar’s maliciously targeted attack.”

“There is absolutely no indication that she had any involvement whatsoever in aiding him to launder his purportedly ill-gotten wealth. Hence, she cannot be prosecuted for the offences under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The entire complaint is silent about even a remote allegation of knowledge as attributed to the petitioner. It is impossible to suggest that the petitioner knowingly engaged in any of the activities that is today punished by Section 3 of the PMLA,” the plea read further.

“The ED has given a clean chit to Nora Fatehi (another Bollywood actor) despite it being an admitted fact on record that her family member received a BMW car from Sukesh Chandrashekhar on her instructions. It is of importance to note that the fact of Nora Fatehi receiving gifts from Sukesh Chandrashekhar has been presented to ED under the head ‘dissipation of proceeds of crime’,” said the petitioner.

Delhi HC asked ED to file a reply on Jacqueline Fernandez’s petition.

According to the details, the Enforcement Directorate submitted an affidavit in the court on Wednesday, claiming Fernandez ‘continues to hold back the truth even till date’.

“It is also a fact that Fernandez wiped out the entire data from her mobile phone after the arrest of Chandrasekhar, thereby tampering with the evidence. She also asked her colleagues to destroy the evidence. Evidence proves beyond doubt that she had been enjoying, using and is in possession of proceeds of crime. Thus, it is proved that Fernandez was knowingly involved in the possession and use of proceeds of crime of accused Chandrasekhar,” alleged ED in the submitted document.

The agency also maintained that Fernandez failed to provide any substantial material to prove that she was the victim of Sukesh Chandrashekhar, alleging she was aware of the illicit funds and yet continued to enjoy, receive and possess proceeds from the conman.

For the unvrsed, Fernandez among several others was named as accused in the multi-million rupees extortion case against Chandrashekhar, for receiving luxury gifts from the crime proceeds.

Reportedly, the actor enjoyed gifts of more than INR7 crore from the conman, bought using the extorted money.

Further proceedings in the case have been scheduled for April 15.

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