Legal
Jacqueline Fernandez Files High Court Plea To Quash Money Laundering FIR, Claims Innocence In Rs 200 Crore Scandal
Srilankan model and Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez.
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has approached the Delhi High Court to request the dismissal of the FIR against her in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, as reported by The Hindu.
The petition, scheduled for a hearing this week, also seeks to dismiss the second supplementary charge sheet filed by the ED in the case and related proceedings currently before a trial court in Delhi.
In her petition, Fernandez claims to be an innocent victim of Sukesh Chandrasekhar's targeted attack, asserting that there is no evidence indicating her involvement in aiding him to launder alleged ill-gotten wealth.
The plea argues that she cannot be prosecuted under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The petition points out that the prosecution's complaint against her does not allege any knowledge on her part about Chandrasekhar's extortion activities.
It emphasises that Fernandez has been presented as a prosecution witness in the initial offense, supporting her claim of no knowledge about Chandrasekhar's activities.
The plea suggests that, logically, any proceedings arising from the predicate offense should be quashed, given her role as a prosecution witness.
Fernandez accuses the ED of acting in a biased manner and highlights the agency's differential treatment, citing the case of Nora Fatehi, who received gifts from Chandrasekhar but was not arraigned as an accused.
She has previously appeared before the ED for questioning in connection with the money laundering investigation.
The Delhi Police had registered an FIR against Chandrashekar for allegedly defrauding the spouses of former Ranbaxy promoters of Rs 200 crore. Chandrasekhar and his wife Leena Paulose, facing money laundering charges, were previously arrested by the Delhi Police.
The police had invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in the case, alleging the use of hawala routes and shell companies to park money earned from proceeds of crime.
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