Rs 200cr extortion: Court concludes hearing on plea to summon Jacqueline

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court has concluded hearing on a plea to summon actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in the Rs 200 crore MCOCA extortion case linked to Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The application was moved by co-accused Navas Kakkat.

Court Concludes Hearing on Summoning Actor

The Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday concluded the hearing on the application seeking summoning of Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez in Rs 200 crore extortion case linked with Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

This application was moved on behalf of the accused Navas Kakkat, who was deported from the UAE. He is alleged close aide of Sukesh Chandrasekhar The court is also to pronounce the order on the charge on the supplementary charge sheet filed against Navas Kakkat today.

Special Judge (MCOCA) Gagandeep Singh heard the arguements advanced by Advocate Naveen Malhotra alongwith Ritwik Malhotra for accused Navas Kakkat and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh for Delhi. The court is likely to pronounce the order today.

Advocate Naveen Malhotra submitted that, as per the supplementary charge, Navas Kakkat was acting on the instructions. Rs 10 crores were distributed to the celebrities. The bills were allegedly paid through Navas. On the other hand, SPP Akhand Pratap Singh submitted that all these aspects have been argued before the predecessor court prior to framing of charges against other Accused persons. This application is not maintainable. Advocate Malhotra rebutted that summoning is the discretion of the court, not of the prosecution. Prosecution says what does suit it.

Details of Application Against Fernandez

On September 7, the court had sought a response from the Economic Offence Wing of Delhi police on a plea praying to make bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez and Leepakshi Ellawadi Accused in an MCOCA case linked with alleged Rs. 200 extortion.

Advocate Naveen Malhotra and Ritwik Malhotra have moved this application on behalf of accused Nawas Kakkat. He is alleged aide of Sukesh Chandrasekhar and was deported from the UAE. A supplementary charge sheet has been filed against Kakkat.

In the application, it is mentioned that, as per the supplementary charge sheet, During Investigation of the case, it was found that Navas remained an associate of accused Sukash Chander Shekhar and he was helping in parking, layering, and transferring the crime proceeds. Police have stated that Navas was one of the main handlers of crime proceeds of the present case.

He arranged bank entries for making payments for purchasing gifts and other valuable items for bollywood celebrities such as Jacqueline Fernandez through accused Pinky Irani, and funds were also transferred to Pinky Irani, Leepakshi Ellawadi and for purchasing goods for Sukash/Leena and others. He also made arrangements for making part payment to Halo Airways for meeting out travel expenses of accused Leena Paulose.

The application also mentioned that, as per allegations, at the instance of Navas, some of his known persons, namely Muhaamad V, Selshas K, Nabeel M, Mohd. Jasheel, Mohd. Asif TA, Binshad KB, Ansal MM, Mohd. Mahin, Ramla Umar, Zinsil Sajid K, Arshad and Rijas PN received cash from him and deposited it in their bank accounts and transferred the funds to the bank accounts provided by accused Navas KI. They also made payment through banking channel for purchase of gifts, etc.

Further, even after the arrest of the main accused Sukash Chandra Shekar, his associate Navas has been arranging funds for making payment to the lawyers of accused Sukash Chandra Shekhar.

It is mentioned in the application that, as per the allegations, the accused Navas was helping Sukesh in parking and transferring the proceed crime and handling the same, as well as arranging the bank entries for making payment and purchasing gifts and other valuable items for Bollywood celebrities and transferred the amount to Pinky Irani, Leepakshi Ellawadi, and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Delhi Police had made Jacqueline Fernandez a witness in the MCOCA case. However, she was made an accused in a money laundering case and was charge-sheeted without arrest. She was summoned and granted bail by the court. Now the matter is pending before the concerned court. (ANI)

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