Jacqueline Fernandez Faces Charges in Money Laundering Case

A Delhi court has directed that charges be framed against Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez in a high-profile money laundering case.

The case is linked to notorious conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar and involves alleged proceeds of crime worth approximately Rs 200 crore in total.

Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma of Patiala House Court issued the direction of framing charges against all the accused in the matter.

The court’s observations about Jacqueline’s alleged role in the case were direct, detailed and damaging to her long-held position as a victim.

“She was in connivance with Sukesh Chandrasekhar to conceal the use of proceeds of crime.”

Since the scam first came to light, Jacqueline had consistently maintained that she was an innocent victim who had been deceived by Sukesh.

However, the court found that there was sufficient material on record to suggest a far more knowing and active involvement on her part.

The allegations against her include receiving gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore from Sukesh Chandrasekhar while being fully aware of his extensive criminal background.

The court noted that this awareness was allegedly conveyed to her through two other accused in the case, Pinky Irani and Leepakshi Ellawadi.

Beyond the gifts, the allegations extend to financial transfers made to the foreign bank accounts of her family members as well.

Specifically, it is alleged that $172,000 was transferred to the foreign account of her sister Geraldine J Walker as part of the arrangement.

A further Australian $26,000 was allegedly transferred to the foreign bank account of her brother Warren J Fernandez as well.

The court was categorical in its conclusion about the threshold of suspicion that had been met by the evidence placed before it. ASJ Prashant Sharma stated:

“Jacqueline Fernandez committed the offence under section 3 of PMLA, punishable under section 4 of PMLA.”

A particularly significant detail emerged during the court’s examination of statements recorded from Jacqueline during the course of the investigation.

When confronted with evidence of cars being purchased for her parents, which was recovered from the mobile phone of accused Pinky Irani, she made a telling admission.

The court observed: “She admitted to receiving cars from her parents, which indicated her connivance with the accused Sukash for concealing the use of POC, which was to buy the cars for her parents.”

The court further observed that Jacqueline had been made explicitly aware of Sukesh’s criminal history through a news article shared by some of the accused.

That article reportedly outlined Sukesh’s involvement in a series of serious criminal cases that had been registered against him over the years.

These included the TTV Dinakaran Bribery Case, the Canara Bank Fraud Case and charges of defrauding investors through bogus firms with promises of high returns.

Despite having this information, the court noted that Jacqueline Fernandez continued to accept what it describes as proceeds of crime.