ED to name actor Jacqueline Fernandez as accused in ₹200 crore extortion case: Report

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has chosen to accuse Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez of money laundering in connection with alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others who face charges of extortion amounting to a massive Rs 200 crore.

The actor has been named an accused in the supplementary charge sheet filed in a Delhi court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money trail in the extortion case.

As per the charge sheet, Jacqueline Fernandez was aware of the extortion that was taking place.

Earlier, Delhi Police had arrested Chandrashekar for allegedly extorting around Rs 215 crore from Aditi Singh and Shivender Singh, members of the former promoters of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy. Taking cognizance of the Delhi Police case, the ED started its money laundering probe.

The ED's first charge sheet mentioned how Chandrashekar used the allegedly swindled money. In its supplementary charge sheet, it has alleged that Chandrashekar gave Fernandez gifts worth over Rs 5 crore from the sum he swindled. It has named the actor as an accused, alleging that she was aware that the gifts were bought from the proceeds of the crime.

"Sukesh Chandrasekhar had given various gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities including extortion. "Chandrasekhar had put Pinky Irani, his long-time associate, and co-accused in this case to deliver the said gifts to her," the ED had then said in a statement.

Earlier, the ED had attached assets belonging to the actor and had also questioned her. The agency in April provisionally attached Rs 7 crore assets of the actor under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Among these gifts are a horse worth Rs 52 lakh and a Persian cat worth Rs 9 lakh, ED sources have said. The sources also alleged that Chandrashekar gave huge sums of money to the family members of Fernandez. She had also received designer bags and clothes from luxury brands Gucci and Chanel, the sources said. Chandrasekhar had also given Rs 15 lakh to a script-writer on the behalf of Fernandez as an advance for writing a web series project, they added.

Fernandez is a Sri Lankan national and made her debut in the Hindi film industry in 2009.

The ED has arrested a total of eight people in this case. These include Chandrshekhar and his wife Leena Maria Paul.