"I returned back to Mumbai in the private jet."
Jacqueline Fernandez has told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that she received gifts from alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
The actress continues to be questioned over her links to Chandrasekhar, who is accused of being involved in a Rs. 200 Crore (£20 million) money laundering case.
Pictures previously surfaced showing the two looking cosy together, leading to the belief that they were romantically linked.
Jacqueline had her assets frozen and now, she has admitted to receiving gifts from Chandrasekhar.
She told the ED that he had tried to get in touch with her in December 2020, but she did not respond to his calls.
Jacqueline claimed that she was later contacted by someone from the government office, telling her to get in touch with Chandrasekhar, who she knew as Shekhar Ratna Vela.
Jacqueline Fernandez explained: “So, I contacted him and he introduced himself as the owner of Sun TV along with his family.
“He also said he was from a political family of Jayalalitha and they are from Chennai.
“He said he was a big fan of mine, and that I should do films in the South and as Sun TV they have many projects lined up. From that time, me and him were in touch.”
Jacqueline and Chandrasekhar stayed in touch and the actress even introduced him to her friends and family.
When the ED asked if she received gifts from Chandrasekhar, Jacqueline admitted that she had “received limited edition perfumes. Veen alkaline water bottles every week. Flowers every other day, chocolates from different places”.
She added: “I received approximately three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, two Gucci outfits for gym wear, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones, two Hermes bracelets.”
Jacqueline also said that a Mini Cooper was delivered to her house but it was “taken back by Sukesh Chandrasekhar”.
She elaborated: “I requested him (Sukesh Chandrasekhar) to take the car as I did not want to accept the car.
“He refused so I then had the car dropped to my friend’s car park and the keys were given to the security, after which the keys were then received by the security guard and the Mini Cooper was then removed.”
Jacqueline Fernandez revealed that she met Chandrasekhar in June 2021 as he requested her to attend his uncle’s funeral.
“He sent me a private jet to take me from Mumbai to Chennai.
“He did not meet me at the airport but had sent an assistant. I reached the Hyatt hotel and Sukesh arrived an hour after that.
“We had lunch together in the dining room and chatted in the living room area of the suite.
“The next day, he came back to the hotel and ordered some breakfast. After breakfast, he dropped me at the airport. And I returned back to Mumbai in the private jet.”
She and Chandrasekhar met again a week later.
“My friend travelled with me to Chennai again on a private jet.
“We were picked up from the airport by a driver and an assistant and taken to the same hotel, Hyatt Chennai.”
Detailing the private jet arrangements by Chandrasekhar, Jacqueline said:
“I travelled twice to Kerala on a private jet. He also arranged the helicopter ride from the airport to the hotel. Both occasions were personal trips.
“On my first trip to Kerala, I travelled only for one day. On the second trip, I was in Kerala for two nights.
“The hotel expenses were taken care of by Sukesh.”
“I had pick up and drop-offs in the private jet from Mumbai to Kerala and also helicopter rides were arranged from the airport to the hotels.
“I also took two trips to Chennai to meet Sukesh and both were on private jets with return to Mumbai.”
When asked about the owners of the private jets and helicopters, Jacqueline claimed that Chandrasekhar told her that he owned the aircraft.
She added that she last spoke to him in August 2021.
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