Court Orders Trial to Proceed
Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez is set to face trial after a Delhi court ordered the framing of criminal charges against her in a massive Rs 200 crore money laundering case. The ruling, delivered on May 30 by Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma, also applies to conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and 15 other accused individuals.
The court observed that there is sufficient material on record to raise a strong suspicion against all the accused, paving the way for the prosecution to formally begin. Judge Sharma stated that the investigative findings establish a robust legal basis to proceed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
All accused have been directed to appear physically in court on June 3 for the formal signing and framing of charges. This marks a significant escalation in the high-profile case that has been making headlines for years.
Court Rejects ‘Unwitting Victim’ Defense
Jacqueline’s legal team had previously argued that she should not be prosecuted under the PMLA because she was not named as an accused in the scheduled extortion offense handled by the Delhi Police. However, the court dismissed this argument as meritless, reiterating that an individual can be prosecuted under anti-money laundering laws independently of the core scheduled offense.
The judge noted that statements recorded from the actor under Section 50 of the PMLA clearly indicated her regular interaction with Chandrashekar, as well as the receipt of substantial funds and luxury articles. The ruling emphasized that Jacqueline was aware of Chandrashekar’s extensive criminal background yet chose to receive expensive gifts, financial payments for her brother, and a car for her parents, thereby attracting liability for utilizing the proceeds of crime.
This development comes shortly after the court allowed Jacqueline to withdraw her application seeking to turn an approver in the ongoing probe. The Enforcement Directorate had vehemently opposed that petition, arguing that her active involvement and ongoing communication with the prime accused disqualified her from such relief.
The Rs 200 Crore Extortion Racket
The broader case stems from an investigation into an organized criminal network operated by Sukesh Chandrashekar. He was first arrested by the Delhi Police in 2017 and subsequently by the ED in 2021. Prosecution details reveal that Chandrashekar managed the extortion racket from inside his prison cell using spoofed calls, encrypted applications, and fabricated identities.
By impersonating high-ranking government officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Justice, he induced the complainant, Aditi Singh, to part with huge sums of money totaling over Rs 200 crore. The court has now ruled that Jacqueline and the other accused must face trial for the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the PMLA, which is punishable under Section 4 of the same Act.
As the legal proceedings heat up, all eyes are on the June 3 court appearance where the charges will be formally read out. Jacqueline’s fans and the industry alike are watching closely as this dramatic saga unfolds.