Money laundering case: Delhi HC issues notice to ED in plea filed by Jacqueline Fernandez

In her plea aimed at nullifying the ECIR dated August 8, 2021, a second supplementary complaint dated August 17, 2022, and the subsequent legal proceedings, Fernandez asserted her innocence, citing evidence provided by the ED.

Amid the ongoing legal proceedings, the Delhi High Court on Thursday (December 21) took notice of a petition filed by Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, seeking the annulment of the ECIR (FIR) and supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged con artist Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 29, furthering the deliberation on Fernandez's plea regarding the ED's actions.

Fernandez has found herself named as a co-accused in the ED's case. However, she has been classified as a witness in the original predicate offence, an extortion case registered by the Delhi Police.

The genesis of the ED's FIR lies within the extortion case, initially filed by the Delhi Police's economic offences wing (EOW) against Chandrashekhar. This case accused him of fraudulent practices and extorting money from Aditi Singh, the wife of former Religare Enterprises promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh, dating back to August the previous year.

In her plea aimed at nullifying the ECIR dated August 8, 2021, a second supplementary complaint dated August 17, 2022, and the subsequent legal proceedings, Fernandez asserted her innocence, citing evidence provided by the ED. Her plea vehemently claimed that she was a victim of Chandrashekhar's malicious targeting, with no indications of her involvement in aiding the laundering of allegedly illicit wealth.

The petition underlined Fernandez's status as a prosecution witness in the EOW case, emphasizing her lack of awareness about Chandrashekhar's incarceration during their interactions. According to the plea, Chandrashekhar consistently presented himself as a free individual, concealing his actual status as someone in custody, leaving Fernandez unaware of his legal situation.