Will Jacqueline Fernandez finally get relief in money laundering case
What's the story
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking the discharge of the money laundering case against her, per India Today.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has implicated Fernandez in a Rs. 200 crore money laundering scheme linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
The central agency has named the actor as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet.
Now, the key question is whether she will find relief from the ongoing controversy.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Fernandez is accused of benefiting from Chandrasekhar's alleged Rs. 200cr extortion from Aditi Singh, wife of former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Singh.
In 2019, Shivinder was arrested for allegedly misappropriating funds at Religare Finvest Ltd.
Chandrasekhar, pretending to be a central government official, convinced Aditi to pay him the amount in exchange for securing her husband's bail.
He orchestrated the scam from jail, persuading her through multiple phone calls to transfer the funds.
Claims
Fernandez claimed 'money laundering allegations against her are false'
In her petition, Fernandez asserted that the money laundering allegations are false and that Chandrasekhar also deceived her.
The petition states, "The petitioner is an innocent victim of Chandrasekhar's maliciously targeted attack. There is no indication that she had any involvement whatsoever in aiding him to launder his purportedly ill-gotten wealth."
The actor has argued that she "cannot be prosecuted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act."
Insights
Fernandez's introduction to Chandrasekhar and alleged coercion
The petition also claimed Pinky Irani—one of the accused—introduced Chandrasekhar to Fernandez as a fan with ties to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who owned a production house and wanted to cast her.
Irani allegedly pressured Fernandez to accept gifts from Chandrasekhar and pushed her into a relationship with him.
She was given Rs. 12cr for doing this.
Despite Chandrasekhar being in jail, Irani showed Fernandez photos of him in private jets and "roaming as a free man."
Modifications
Fernandez got relief in the money laundering case in August
Fernandez, who secured interim bail last year, saw a Delhi court modify her bail conditions in August.
Now, she can leave the country with a three-day prior notification to the court and the ED.
A Sri Lankan citizen residing in India since 2009, she has consistently paid income tax and adhered to bail terms, as noted by the court.
Amid legal proceedings, Fernandez is set to feature in films, including Welcome to the Jungle, Fateh, and Crakk.