Actor Jacqueline Fernandez has been facing legal scrutiny in connection with alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s Rs 200 crore money laundering case. Since the matter came to light, the actress has consistently maintained that she was deceived by Sukesh and had no involvement in the alleged scam.
However, in a significant development, the court has observed that there is prima facie material indicating that Jacqueline accepted expensive gifts from Sukesh despite allegedly being aware of his criminal background.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma of the Patiala House Court directed that charges be framed against all accused in the case. While discussing Jacqueline’s alleged role, the court remarked, “She was in connivance with Sukash Chandrasekhar to conceal the use of proceeds of crime (POC).”
Allegations of Receiving Gifts Worth Rs 5.71 Crore
According to the court, Jacqueline is accused of receiving gifts worth Rs 5,71,11,942 from Sukesh Chandrasekhar even after allegedly being informed about his criminal antecedents by co-accused Pinky Irani and Leepakshi Ellawadi.
Investigators have further alleged that $172,000 (over Rs 1.4 crore) was transferred to the foreign bank account of her sister, Geraldine J Walker. Additionally, Australian $26,000 (over Rs 10 lakh) was reportedly deposited into the account of her brother, Warren J Fernandez.
Court Cites Sufficient Material for PMLA Charges
Explaining the basis for framing charges, ASJ Sharma stated, “I conclude that prima facie there is sufficient material on record, raising a strong suspicion that the accused Jacquelin Fernandez committed the offence under section 3 of PMLA, punishable under section 4 of PMLA.”
The court noted that the available evidence raised a strong suspicion regarding Jacqueline’s alleged involvement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Luxury Cars for Parents Under Court’s Scrutiny
The court also referred to Jacqueline’s statement concerning luxury vehicles allegedly purchased for her parents using the proceeds of crime.
“During the recording of the statement, Jacqueline Fernandez and, upon being confronted with evidence of the purchase of Cars for the parents of Jacqueline, recovered from the mobile of Pinki, she admitted to receiving cars from her parents, which indicated her connivance with the accused Sukash for concealing the use of POC, which was to buy the Cars for her parents.”
The court considered this aspect while assessing the allegations related to the concealment and use of proceeds of crime.
Court Notes Awareness of Sukesh’s Alleged Criminal Background
Further, the court observed that Jacqueline was allegedly aware of Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s criminal activities. According to the order, she had been sent a news article detailing his alleged involvement in multiple cases, including the TTV Dinakaran bribery case, the Canara Bank fraud case, and schemes in which investors were allegedly cheated through bogus firms promising high returns.
Despite this, the court stated that she allegedly continued to receive proceeds of crime in the form of luxury gifts, financial transfers made to her siblings, and a car purchased for her parents.
The observations form part of the court’s decision to proceed with framing charges, while the allegations against all accused will be tested during the course of the trial.
