Bollywood: Jacqueline Fernandez gets interim bail in Rs2 billion extortion case

On Monday, Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez arrived at the Patiala House Court, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned her, in connection with a Rs2 billion money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez's lawyers have moved a bail plea in the case.

Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik sought a response from the ED on the bail plea, while her regular bail is pending before the court.

At the request of Jacqueline's lawyer, the court granted her an interim bail on a bond of Rs50,000.

The next date of the hearing is October 22 this year.

On August 17, this year, she was accused in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the Rs2 billion extortion case, in a Delhi Court.

On Wednesday, after taking cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet, the Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh directed the newly-accused Jacqueline Fernandez to appear before it on September 26, 2022.

The court also directed the ED to supply a copy of the chargesheet to all the accused in the present case.

Meanwhile, a lawyer appeared for Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) which was also probing the same case informed the court that Jacqueline Fernandez did not show up for an August 29, 2022 court hearing, after which a fresh summons had been issued to her. To that, a lawyer appeared for Jacqueline, assuring that she would join the investigation and co-operate with the probe.

Advocate Prashant Patil appeared for Jacqueline and stated that she had always cooperated with investigation agencies, and attended all the summons to date.

ED's earlier chargesheet did not initially mention her name as an accused, but under a statement recorded from various Bollywood actors, such as Nora Fatehi.

They stated that Sukesh had gifted them top models of BMW cars, one of his most expensive gifts.

Other gifts that the actress received gifts were three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, and two Gucci outfits for gym wear, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings, a bracelet of multi-coloured stones, and two Hermes bracelets. She also received a Mini Cooper, which she returned.

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Nora Fatehi 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 (the wife of the accused).

The actress added that Paulose had called her husband and put the phone on the speaker, when he thanked her and said that they were her fans. She then announced that they would gift her a brand new BMW car as a token of love and generosity.

According to the 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 of the PMLA. These cars are either in the name of the firms of Leena Paulose, or in the name of third parties.

It has also emerged that Sukesh knowingly created the structure for layering and transferring proceeds of crime and thus, actively participated in the process of money laundering.

• India