Patiala House Court on Monday granted bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez interim bail on a bail bond of Rs 50,000 in Rs 200 Crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.
Jacqueline’s lawyers have moved a bail plea in the money laundering case. Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik sought a response from the ED on the bail plea, till then her regular bail is pending before the court. At the request of Jacqueline’s lawyer, the court granted interim bail to the actor. The next date of hearing is October 22 this year.
Earlier on Wednesday, the court issued a summons to the actor to appear before it physically on 26 September.
On 17 August, this year, a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the Rs 200 crore extortion case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekar in a Delhi Court mentioned the name of Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused.
The court also directed ED to supply a copy of the chargesheet to all the accused in the present case. Jacqueline has also been summoned by ED several times in the matter for the purpose of investigation.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline stated that she has deep roots in India and has been a tax-paying resident since 2009, while adding that India is her place of work, and her professional reputation and future work commitments are all intrinsically linked to the country.
She also stated that she doesn’t have any unity of design with the conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. “In fact, the applicant/Jacqueline is another victim of the criminal acts committed by the main accused and his associates, who consistently lied about his real identity and exercised undue influence over the applicant’s personal and professional life either by showering her (and her family) with expensive gifts or claiming that he had done so I would do so, without ever mentioning their source,” she said in her bail plea.
In her regular bail plea, Jacqueline also said, she has never denied receipt of gifts, or that the main accused made claims to that effect. However, at no point of time did the applicant demand any gifts nor had knowledge that these were proceeds of crime, on account of the deceitful and duplicitous conduct of the main accused due to which she has suffered, and continues to suffer, tremendous hardship. Thus, she was misled into accepting the same.
Advocate Prashant Patil appeared for Jacquline and stated that she has always cooperated with the investigation agencies and attended all the summons to date. “She has handed over all the information to the best of her ability to the ED.
According to ED’s earlier Chargesheet, Bollywood actresses Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi examined and stated that the actresses got top models of BMW cars, the most expensive gifts from the accused Sukesh.
ED chargesheet clearly stated that “during the investigation, statements of Jacqueline Fernandez were recorded on 30.08.2021 and 20.10.2021 Jacqueline Fernandez stated she received gifts viz three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, and 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. She also received a Mini Cooper which she returned.”
“According to ED, Sukesh was confronted with Jacqueline on October 20, 2021. Jacqueline Fernandez stated that Sukash Chandrasekhar had arranged private jet trips and her hotel stay on different occasions for herself.
Statements of Nora Fatehi were recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002 on September 12, 2021, abd October 14, 2021, wherein she stated that she got a booking for a charity event and during the event, she was gifted a Gucci Bag and one iPhone by Leena Paulose. (Wife of Chandrashekhar)
According to ED, during the investigation, searches were conducted at various places linked to Sukesh Chandrashekar and his associates. During the search, 16 high-end vehicles were seized under section 17 PMLA and these cars are either in the name of the firms of Leena Paulose or in the name of third parties. It is further submitted that it has emerged that Sukesh knowingly created the structure for layering and transferring proceeds of crime and thus, actively participated in the process of money laundering.
