Money laundering case: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez on 10 July for another round of questioning in a money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, newswire PTI reported, citing official sources.
The ED has questioned Fernandez at least five times in the same case. She has repeatedly denied knowledge of Chandrashekhar's alleged criminal activities and claimed innocence.
She also appeared before a Delhi court and alleged that Chandrashekhar played with her emotions and made her “life hell".
The 38-year-old Sri Lankan-origin Bollywood actor is tangled in an alleged cheating case that involves high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh, to the tune of about ₹200 crore.
The ED claimed that Chandrashekhar used these "proceeds of crime" or illegal money to purchase gifts for Fernandez.
The ED chargesheet filed in 2022 claimed Fernandez enjoyed “valuables, jewellery and costly gifts provided by Chandrashekhar despite knowing about his criminal antecedents."
The ED charge sheet also listed the expensive gifts, such as a Persian cat and Arabian horse, the actor received from the conman over the years.
Notably, the Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan star has been barred from travelling outside the country since being investigated in the money laundering case. There is an active Look Out Circular against her, which led to her brief detention at Mumbai International Airport in 2021.
The ED had in April 2022 attached assets worth ₹7.27 crore of Fernandez due to her closeness to Chandrashekhar.
"Sukesh Chandrashekhar had given various gifts worth ₹5.71 crore to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities, including extortion. Chandrasekhar had put Pinky Irani, his long-time associate and co-accused in this case, to deliver the said gifts to her," the ED had then said in a statement.
(With inputs from PTI)