The actor was earlier questioned in connection with the case
New Delhi:
Actor Jacqueline Fernandez has been named an accused in a money laundering case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is accused of extorting Rs 200 crore.
The actor has been named as an accused in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Delhi court, which is probing money in an extortion case. Earlier, the Delhi Police had arrested Chandrashekhar on charges of extortion of around Rs 215 crore from Aditi Singh and Shivendra Singh, members of former promoters of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy. Taking cognizance of the Delhi Police case, ED has started money laundering probe.
The first chargesheet of the ED describes how Chandrashekhar allegedly used the money to be cheated. In its supplementary chargesheet, it has alleged that Chandrashekhar gifted Fernandez more than Rs 5 crore out of the amount duped by him. It has named the actor as an accused, alleging that he was aware that the gifts were purchased from the proceeds of the crime.
“Sukesh Chandrashekhar had given various gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to Jacqueline Fernandez from proceeds of crime arising out of criminal activities including extortion. The ED then said in a statement.
Earlier, the ED had attached the actor’s property and questioned him. The agency had in April provisionally attached assets worth Rs 7 crore of the actor under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED sources said the gifts included a horse worth Rs 52 lakh and a Persian cat worth Rs 9 lakh. Sources also alleged that Chandrashekhar gave a hefty amount to the family members of Ms. Fernandez. Sources said that he had also received designer bags and clothes from luxury brands Gucci and Chanel. He said that Chandrashekhar had given Rs 15 lakh as an advance to a screenwriter on Fernandez’s behalf to write a webseries project.
Ms. Fernandez is a Sri Lankan national and she made her debut in the Hindi film industry in 2009.
The ED has arrested a total of eight people in this case. These include Chandrashekhar and his wife Leena Maria Paul.