Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Thursday asked the Enforcement Directorate why it has not arrested actor Jacqueline Fernandez in the money laundering case related to conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, NDTV reported.
The court made the comment while hearing the actor’s anticipatory bail application. “Why haven’t you arrested Jacqueline yet despite issuing a look out circular?” the court asked. “Other accused are in jail. Why adopt a pick-and-choose policy?”
The court will give its verdict on Friday. On October 22, the court had granted Fernandez interim bail which ended on Thursday.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the money trail on allegations that Chandrashekhar used the amount gained by cheating and extorting high-profile individuals to buy gifts for Fernandez.
Chandrashekhar was arrested by the Delhi Police on August 7 for allegedly extorting around Rs 215 crore from Shivinder Singh, a former promoter of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy, and his wife Aditi Singh. He had allegedly impersonated the Union home secretary, law secretary and an officer in the prime minister’s office while speaking to them.
The supplementary chargesheet had mentioned that Chandrashekhar had given gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities, including extortion. The investigating agency also claimed that Fernandez was aware that the gifts given to her were the proceeds of a crime.
During the last hearing on October 22, the Enforcement Directorate opposed the bail extension to Fernandez saying that the actor appears to be “deep-pocketed” and could interfere with the investigation. The agency had also said that Fernandez never cooperated with the inquiry and only made the disclosure when confronted with evidence.
She also tried to flee India but could not do so due to a look-out circular, the agency claimed.
In two statements to the Enforcement Directorate recorded in August and October last year, Fernandez had told the agency that she received three designer bags from luxury brands Gucci and Chanel, two Gucci outfits, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones along with two Hermes bracelets as gifts from Chandrashekhar.
In April, the Enforcement Directorate had attached assets worth Rs 7.27 crore belonging to Fernandez.
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