Jacqueline Fernandez questioned by Enforcement Directorate in money laundering case linked to Sukesh Chandrasekhar

Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday in connection with a money laundering case that involved jailed conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, as per reports. The actor has previously been investigated in the case, as well. As per reports, Jacqueline knew Sukesh well and by some accounts, was in a relationship with him. However, the actor has maintained silence about the same. Also read: Jacqueline Fernandez granted permission by court to fly to Abu Dhabi to attend IIFA awards

On Monday, Jacqueline appeared at the ED headquarters, following the summons of a federal agency to record her statement in the case. In April, the agency had attached assets worth ₹7.27 crore of the actor in the case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

ED’s current case is based on an FIR filed by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against the alleged conman, who was contacting people by spoofing calls to dupe them. The numbers reflecting on their phones seemed to be from government officers, and he claimed to be a government officer offering to help people for a price. Both Sukesh and his wife, actor Leena Maria Paul, were arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2021 for their alleged role in a duping case.

During the investigation, Sukesh Chandrasekhar told officers that he had given various gifts worth ₹5.71 crore to Jacqueline, many of which were from the proceeds earned by criminal activities, including extortion. The ED said that in addition to these gifts Sukesh had also given funds worth $172,913 and Aus $26,740 to close family members of Jacqueline.

The agency said that Sukesh Chandrasekhar had also delivered ₹15 lakhs in cash to a scriptwriter on behalf of Jacqueline as an advance for writing a script for her web series. He had also claimed to have been in a relationship with the actor.

Jacqueline has largely remained silent on the issue. However, she responded to the allegations, when pictures of her and Sukesh surfaced on the internet in January. Taking to Instagram, she had written, “I’m currently going through a rough patch but I’m sure that my friends and fans will see me through it. It is with this trust that I would request my media friends to not circulate images of a nature that intrude my privacy and personal space.”

Jacqueline is not the only person from Bollywood to have been investigated or questioned in this case. Earlier this year, actor Nora Fatehi was also questioned by the ED in connection with the same case.

(With ANI inputs)