50 lakh horse, 9 lakh cat: Conman gifted Bollywood actresses crores

Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar allegedly gifted Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandes with a horse worth ₹50 lakhs and a Persian cat that cost ₹9 lakhs according to interrogation documents in the 7000 page charge sheet filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate. Chandrashekhar had spent crores on gifts to Fernandes and another Bollywood star Nora Fatehi, the agency claimed.

Both celebrities have been questioned regarding their connection to the case, in which Chandrashekhar is accused of swindling ₹200 crore from the wives of former Ranbaxy promoters Shivinder Singh, and Malvinder Singh. The FIR filed by the Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing revealed that Chandrashekhar had posed as government officials from the Home Ministry in order to effect the scam. He has also allegedly confessed to running the extortion racket through contacts made in Tihar jail, following which several guards were arrested.

However, actress Nora Fatehi had denied any involvement in the scam and said that she was fully cooperating with the investigation into it.

"Nora Fatehi has been the victim around the case and being a witness, she is co-operating and helping the officers in the investigation. We would like to make it very clear that she has not been a part of any money laundering activity, she does not know or have any personal connection with the accused and has been called by the ED to strictly help with the investigation," the statement issued by Fatehi's PR said.

Leena Paul, a small-time Bollywood actress and wife of Chandrashekhar is also accused of participating in his many fraudulent activities. The ED had earlier told the court that money was being moved at Chandrashekhar's wife Paul's instructions. During the investigation, searches were conducted at various places linked to Chandrashekar and his associates in which 6 high-end vehicles were seized.

The Delhi Police had alleged that Paul and Chandrashekhar along with others used Hawala routes, created shell companies to park the money earned from proceeds of crime.