Money Laundering Case: “No Evidence Jacqueline Knew Of Sukesh’s Crimes, Says Counsel

The Delhi High Court has recently conducted final arguments concerning Jacqueline Fernandez’s plea to quash the money laundering case against her.

Her legal counsel contended that there is no evidence to suggest that she was aware of Sukesh Chandrasekar’s criminal activities. The court is set to continue hearings on November 13.

Justice Anish Dayal presided over the proceedings, during which senior advocate Siddharth Agrawal, alongside advocates Shakti Pandey and Prashant Patil, represented Fernandez. Agrawal argued that Jacqueline was unaware that the gifts she received from Chandrasekar were derived from criminal proceeds.

He criticized the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) claim that she should have had knowledge of these activities, asserting that no evidence supports such a conclusion.

Agrawal further highlighted a discrepancy in the agency’s approach, noting that other celebrities who met with Chandrasekar in prison were believed when they claimed their meetings were for business purposes.

He pointed out that these individuals were not pursued by the ED, indicating a lack of consistent application of scrutiny.

The court has scheduled further discussions on the matter. Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain represented the ED via video conferencing during the hearing. The High Court issued a notice to the ED on December 21, 2023, requiring them to file a response.

Fernandez is challenging the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) from August 8, 2021, as well as the second supplementary complaint (charge sheet) from August 17, 2022, which stem from allegations of money laundering linked to an extortion case involving Aditi Singh, where Rs 200 crores were reportedly extorted.

Earlier in the proceedings, Agrawal raised three significant legal issues, arguing that they should be addressed by the Constitutional Court rather than the Trial Court, even though the case is currently pending for arguments at the Trial Court level.

He clarified that he was not seeking interim relief to avoid delaying the Trial Court proceedings but requested permission to submit additional documents he deemed critical for resolving the legal issues.

The High Court granted this request, allowing the filing of additional documents, provided their relevance and admissibility are assessed during the hearing of the petition.

As the case unfolds, Jacqueline Fernandez remains a prominent figure in a complex legal battle involving allegations of money laundering and extortion, with Sukesh Chandrasekar also implicated in both cases.

The ongoing legal proceedings will determine the course of action for all parties involved.

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