Jacqueline Fernandez Faces Trial! Delhi Court Finds Prima Facie Evidence In Money Laundering Case

On Saturday, a Delhi court ordered that charges be framed against actor Jacqueline Fernandez and several others in connection with the ₹200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Ever since the investigation began, Fernandez has maintained that she was deceived by Chandrasekhar and was a victim of his actions. However, the court observed that, at this stage, there appears to be sufficient evidence suggesting otherwise.

Prima Facie Material Found Against Jacqueline Fernandez

Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma of the Patiala House Court directed that charges be framed against all the accused linked to the case. While explaining the decision, the judge noted that there was prima facie material indicating Fernandez's involvement in concealing proceeds generated through criminal activities.

The court stated that Fernandez allegedly received gifts worth approximately ₹5.71 crore from Chandrasekhar. Investigators claim that she was aware of his criminal background through co-accused Pinky Irani and Leepakshi Ellawadi.

Funds Transferred to Fernandez's Family Members

The Enforcement Directorate further alleged that funds were transferred to Fernandez's family members. According to the agency, around $172,000 was deposited into the bank account of her sister, Geraldine J. Walker, while approximately 26,000 Australian dollars were transferred to the account of her brother, Warren J. Fernandez.

Charges Framed Under Section 3 of PMLA

The court held that the available evidence raised a strong suspicion regarding Fernandez's involvement in the alleged offence. Accordingly, charges were framed under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), punishable under Section 4 of the Act.

Fernandez's Statement Referred to by the Court

The judge also referred to Fernandez's statement recorded during the investigation. According to the court's observations, Fernandez acknowledged that the cars had been received by her family when she was confronted with evidence recovered from Pinky Irani's mobile phone.

The court viewed this as an indication that she was aware of the source of the funds allegedly used for those purchases.

Court Says Fernandez Was Aware of Chandrasekhar's Criminal Cases

The court further noted that Fernandez had allegedly been informed about Chandrasekhar's involvement in several criminal cases, including the TTV Dinakaran bribery case, the Canara Bank fraud case, and other alleged investment-related scams.

Despite this, the court observed that she continued to receive benefits allegedly derived from the proceeds of crime. These benefits included luxury gifts, financial transfers made to her relatives, and vehicles reportedly purchased for her parents.

The court concluded that there was sufficient material on record to proceed with the charges. The actor will now face charges under the anti-money laundering law, and the case will move to the next stage of trial.