New Delhi: In a significant development, the Delhi High Court on Thursday (July 3) rejected Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s petition seeking to quash the FIR filed against her in the high-profile Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
Justice Anish Dayal dismissed Fernandez’s plea, which also challenged the second supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the ongoing trial court proceedings in Delhi. The court noted that a special court had already taken cognisance of the chargesheet and found a prima facie case against Fernandez.
The ED’s counsel opposed the plea on grounds of maintainability, highlighting that Fernandez did not challenge the cognisance order issued by the trial court.
Jacqueline Fernandez is listed as an accused in the ED’s money laundering case linked to Sukesh Chandrasekhar. She has appeared before the agency multiple times for questioning.
Chandrasekhar was earlier booked by Delhi Police for allegedly cheating the wives of former Ranbaxy promoters, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore. He and his wife, Leena Paulose, are accused of laundering money through hawala networks and shell companies, and are facing prosecution under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Jacqueline had filed a plea to quash the FIR registered against her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), as well as to challenge the chargesheet filed by the ED and the cognisance order issued by the trial court. However, the High Court refused to grant any relief, effectively allowing the case against her to proceed.
In her petition, Jacqueline maintained that all allegations against her are false, stating that she was deceived by Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who allegedly posed as a government official and targeted her with fraudulent intentions. She also accused Aditi Singh, another individual linked to the case, of duping her.
Jacqueline strongly denied Sukesh’s claims of having had a romantic relationship with her, stating in court that she had no role in the money laundering activities and that she was a victim, not a conspirator. The case continues to draw significant public and media attention as the ED pursues charges related to large-scale financial fraud and celebrity links.
Sukesh Chandrasekhar remains under investigation in several other criminal and financial fraud cases across India. The Enforcement Directorate continues to probe the broader money trail, which allegedly includes proceeds of crime routed through complex financial structures.
