Actor Jacqueline Fernandez has decided to withdraw her special leave petition from the Supreme Court concerning the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation into a Rs 200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. A Bench, led by Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi, granted her request during a recent hearing.
Jacqueline had approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court declined to dismiss the ED’s complaint and the trial court’s decision to frame charges against her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). With the withdrawal of her petition, the legal proceedings against her will now continue in the trial court.
The case was originally assigned to Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Atul S. Chandurkar on June 11. However, Justice Mishra stepped back from the case after disclosing that his son represented the government in a related matter, prompting the reassignment to the current Bench.
Earlier this month, Jacqueline maintained her innocence in front of the Patiala House Court when she pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. She expressed her intent to contest the allegations during the trial. The trial court has also framed charges against Sukesh Chandrashekhar, his wife Leena Maria Paul, and 14 others, all of whom denied the accusations and have opted for trial.
The next court session is set for July 16, where further proceedings will take place. Jacqueline’s withdrawal of her application to become an approver in the case came shortly before this decision. The ED argued against her request, citing that her cooperation during the investigation was inadequate. They also alleged that she continued her association with Chandrashekhar despite being aware of his alleged criminal background.
The ED claims that Chandrashekhar presented Jacqueline with luxury gifts and valuables worth approximately Rs 7 crore, said to be from the proceeds of crime linked to the case. Jacqueline has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that she was unaware of Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s alleged illegal actions and the origin of the funds used for the gifts.
This money laundering investigation stems from accusations that Chandrashekhar defrauded the wives of former Ranbaxy promoters, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, out of nearly Rs 200 crore.
