Did Delhi HC Deny Jacqueline Fernandez's Request to Dismiss Money Laundering Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Delhi High Court denied Jacqueline Fernandez's plea.
- Ongoing investigation by Enforcement Directorate (ED).
- Assets worth Rs 7.2 crore attached by ED.
- Fernandez and Nora Fatehi have provided witness statements.
- Legal implications for the entertainment industry.
New Delhi, July 3 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea submitted by Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez aimed at quashing a money laundering case initiated against her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
A Bench led by Justice Anish Dayal chose not to intervene in the ongoing trial proceedings stemming from the ED’s prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Earlier this year in April, Justice Dayal’s Bench had reserved its ruling after hearing arguments from senior advocate Sidharth Aggarwal, representing Fernandez, and ED’s special counsel Zoheb Hossain.
In her petition, Fernandez firmly denied any involvement in assisting Chandrashekhar in laundering what is alleged to be illicit funds.
She contended that she should not face prosecution under Sections 3 and 4 of the anti-money laundering law. The ED had previously submitted a second supplementary charge sheet naming her as an accused party. Both Fernandez and fellow Bollywood star Nora Fatehi have given their statements as witnesses in this case.
Notably, the ED had previously attached assets and fixed deposits valued at Rs 7.2 crore belonging to Fernandez, labeling them as “proceeds” of crime received by the actress.
Additionally, the ED had filed its first supplementary charge sheet against Pinky Irani, an alleged associate of Chandrashekhar, who supposedly introduced him to various Bollywood celebrities.
The charge sheet alleged that Pinky would select extravagant gifts for Fernandez and deliver them to her home after Chandrashekhar made the payments.
The initial charge sheet in this matter was filed by the investigation agency in December 2021.
Reports indicate that Chandrashekhar has spent around Rs 20 crore on various models and Bollywood personalities, though some have turned down gifts from him.
Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan actress who has made her mark in India, primarily in Hindi cinema, and has also appeared in reality shows and music videos.
She graduated in mass communication from the University of Sydney and was crowned Miss Universe Sri Lanka in 2006, later representing her country at the Miss Universe pageant that same year.