The Enforcement Directorate (ED) co-star on Monday Jacqueline FernandezHe has applied to become an acceptor in the Rs 200 crore money laundering case related to alleged fraudster Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Fernandez had approached the court last month with a plea seeking approval status in the case, in which Chandrashekhar is the main accused. The actress has been accused of receiving lavish gifts from Chandrashekhar, with whom she allegedly had an affair.Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma of the Patiala House Court ordered Fernandez to file his reply to the ED’s objections and scheduled the matter for further hearing on May 12. Opposing his request, the ED argued that Fernandez cannot be treated as a minor participant in the case, that he was an alleged “significant beneficiary” and that he was an “important beneficiary” of the alleged “participants in the proceedings” crime.
According to the agency, Fernandez continued a “regular and sustained” relationship with Chandrashekhar, despite being aware of his criminal record. The ED said that granting him adopter status would amount to a miscarriage of justice and would diminish the seriousness of the crime.The ED also alleged that Chandrashekhar “carefully arranged” expensive gifts and other benefits for Fernandez using money generated through criminal activities.“That’s the applicant [Fernandez] he was well aware of the criminal background of the main accused ie. Accused No.1 i.e. Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Despite knowing his true identity and criminal record, he decided to continue his association and accept valuable benefits, possessing, receiving, using and enjoying the “proceeds of crime” for himself and his family members, thus showing a conscious disregard for the source of income and actively participating in the laundering process. His claim of being a ‘victim’ is therefore against himself and the evidence on record,” the ED said.The agency also told the court that Fernandez did not fully cooperate with the investigation and allegedly failed to make full and true disclosures in five statements recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).Chandrashekhar is accused of impersonating a senior government official connected to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Ministry to defraud businessman Aditi Singh of nearly ₹200 crore over seven to eight months.The ED initially filed the prosecution’s complaint in December 2021 against the eight accused, without Fernandez being named. However, in August 2022, the agency filed a second supplementary complaint with the prosecution and included the actor as an accused in the case.Fernandez has said that he appeared before the ED on five occasions and recorded his statements under Section 50 of the PMLA.last year, Delhi High Court rejected Fernandez’s request to cancel the proceedings against him.
