New Delhi/Mumbai: Four-and-a half years after it began probing the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the CBI is learned to have closed the case and given a clean chit to actor Rhea Chakraborty, bringing curtains on a case that had gripped the country, reports Rajshekhar Jha. Rajput was found dead at his Bandra flat on June 14, 2020.

The probe agency is learned to have filed a closure report in two of the cases it was investigating, sources said. While one case was filed in Aug 2021 in Patna by Rajput's father against Rhea, her kin and others, the other was filed in Sept by Rhea against Rajput's sister and doctor.

The closure report in both was filed in a special Mumbai court, sources said. Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said, "Rhea Chakraborty had to undergo untold miseries and was behind bars for 27 days for no fault of hers until Justice Sarang V Kotwal released her on bail. I salute her and her family for having kept silent and yet suffered the inhuman treatment they were meted out. Innocent people were hounded and paraded before the media and investigative authorities. I hope this does not repeat in any case."

Rajput was found dead at his Bandra apartment on June 14, 2020, six days after his PR manager Disha Salian died. Mumbai police, which first probed the case, termed it as a case of suspected suicide, although no suicide note had been found. The provisional post-mortem suggested the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging.

Coincidentally, on Wednesday, Disha's father Satish Salian alleged his daughter was gangraped and murdered. He has filed a plea demanding a CBI probe into her death, alleging that Rajput was visibly frightened and repeatedly expressed fear that "those people" responsible for her death would not spare him and that he would be killed. He has said both deaths are interconnected and part of a larger conspiracy.

The CBI FIR in Rajput's case named Rhea and her kin Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya and Showik apart from her associates Samuel Miranda and Shruti Modi.

The FIR, initially filed by Bihar police, had sections of IPC related to criminal conspiracy, abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal intimidation.

After Rajput's cremation at Vile Parle's Pawan Hans crematorium, Mumbai police began their investigation, recording statements from film and casting director Mukesh Chhabra, Rajput's girlfriend Rhea, and his managerial staff. In July that year, producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali was questioned, stating he had offered Rajput four films, but eventually featured in none.

Rhea, who confirmed being in a relationship with Rajput on Twitter (now X), demanded a CBI inquiry. Mumbai police also recorded statements of filmmaker Aditya Chopra and three psychiatrists. Meanwhile, an FIR was registered against Rhea in Patna on July 28, and a team of Bihar police reached Mumbai to probe the case.

The Enforcement Directorate inquired about the money laundering angle in the case and questioned Rhea but they found no substance against her. Subsequently, the NCB initiated a probe against her along with others on allegations of procurement of drugs for Rajput which led to her arrest. In Aug 2021, the CBI filed an FIR against Rhea and others, and the ED too summoned her for questioning.

An AIIMS forensic team was roped in by the CBI on August 22, and the ED unearthed a drug angle in the case, involving the Narcotics Control Bureau.

In September 2021, Rhea filed an FIR against Rajput's sisters and doctor, which was transferred to the CBI as well.

This is the second case which has been closed as well, sources said. In October, reports emerged that the AIIMS panel had dismissed the murder theory, although the CBI stated they were probing all angles.

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at the premises of prominent film production and distribution company Eros Group and its senior executives, including Sunil Lulla, in alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations involving Rs 2,000 crore fund diversion.

A press release issued by the ED stated: "In this case, it has been found that Eros paid Rs 2000 crore (approx) as content advances to certain entities between FY 2012-13 and FY 2020-21.Eros wrote off major amounts due from these entities under the pretext of non-recovery due to the Covid-19 pandemic as a part of a balance sheet cleaning exercise. In this manner, Eros had devised a scheme to inflate its financial statements by paying content advances, which were later diverted or round-tripped back to the company, with fictitious movie rights purchases used to hide the true nature of these transactions."

ED officials seized documents including overseas entity records, property information, foreign bank account details, and digital devices for further investigation.

Sunil Lulla of Eros International Media, did not respond to messages and calls from TOI. Eros Group owns rights to numerous films and has produced several successful movies.

The ED released an official statement on Friday stating: "ED has initiated investigation on the basis of SEBI investigation against Eros group and its promoters for alleged misrepresentation of financials and diversion/ siphoning of funds amounting to around Rs 2000 crore. The main entity of Eros group is Eros International Media Ltd, which is an Indian motion picture production and distribution company. Eros co-produces, acquires and distributes Indian films in multiple formats worldwide, including theatrical, television syndication and digital platforms."

The ED recently initiated the investigation against the group based on Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) findings. During the examination, the ED identified Rs 300 crore from the total amount that was allegedly sent to firms abroad on the pretext of film production payments, despite no film produced by those entities.

Mumbai: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken possession of a plot in Girgaum that housed the 95-year-old New Roshan Talkies, owned by the late drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi, after finding out that his associates had razed the single screen cinema hall that was attached in 2020.

Accompanied by a dozen CRPF personnel, ED officials secured the vacant plot in Khetwadi, Girgaum. Reports indicate that the theatre's assets, including vintage film reels, were disposed of, along with other materials. Mirchi's kin were attempting to sell the land, despite it being attached by ED, officials said.

A person associated with the Mirchi family told the investigation agency that he owned the cinema hall and had demolished the structure after obtaining BMC's permission. ED officials dismissed his claim and are reviewing the details before taking a call on lodging a police case against him.

In 2019, ED initiated a money laundering investigation against Mirchi, along with his associates. It attached multiple properties of the drug trafficker the following year, including New Roshan Talkies. Subsequently, the adjudication authority under PMLA confirmed the attachment. ED was supposed to take possession of the property, but Mirchi's kin obtained a stay on it from the appellate tribunal, after which the issue was kept pending.

ED learned about the demolition last month and that Mirchi's family was trying to create third-party interest in the property. The investigation agency then approached the tribunal to vacate the stay and subsequently took possession of the plot.

This is the second property of Mirchi in ED's possession, following the acquisition of premises in Ceejay House building in Worli, where the agency has since established its offices.

According to the agency, Mirchi acquired multiple properties using the proceeds of drug trafficking between 1970 and till his death in London in 2013. Following his death, these properties were transferred to his sons—Junaid Iqbal Memon and Asif Iqbal Memon—and his first wife, Hajra Memon, through gift deeds. New Roshan Talkies was among them.

The cinema hall was built around 1930 and Mirchi bought it in 1982. Initially, his elder brother operated it, and then his brother-in-law, Mukhtar Patka, took over the property. ED had earlier said in its chargesheet that Mirchi executed hawala operations with the help of his associates from the premises of the cinema hall.

The gangster fled India in the early 1990s to avoid arrest in multiple cases registered against him in India. In London, he lived with his second wife, former actress Hina Kausar, the stepdaughter of film director K Asif, while Hajra Memon lived in Dubai with her children.

The 95-year-old New Roshan Talkies, a single screen cinema hall in Girgaum, was attached in 2020. ED found out last month that it had been demolished. Vintage film reels have reportedly been disposed of

Mumbai: Businessman Raj Kundra sold his Juhu flat, valued at Rs 80 crore, to his actor wife Shilpa Shetty for Rs 38 crore in 2022 after the ED (Enforcement Directorate) initiated a probe against him in a money laundering case.

The ED suspects it was an internal arrangement of the couple to avoid the property’s attachment and it believes that Kundra is still the flat’s real owner, said sources.

On Thursday, the ED issued a press release stating that Kundra received 285 bitcoins from the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin ponzi scam, Amit Bhardwaj (now deceased), for setting up a bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. “The said bitcoins were sourced from the proceeds of crime collected by Bhardwaj from gullible investors. Since the deal didn’t materialize, Kundra is still in possession and enjoyment of 285 bitcoins, which are presently valued at more than Rs 150 crore,s” said the agency.

The ED believe that the bitcoins are still in Kundra’s possession but since he is not disclosing it, the agency is attaching his properties whose value is equivalent to that of the bitcoins. The ED is inquiring about Kundra’s other properties after attaching his bungalow in Pune, along with equity shares in his name and Shetty’s Juhu flat, collectively worth Rs 97.8 crores.

The attached properties are not directly connected to the proceeds of the crime and the ED may call Shetty to get her statement in the case.

Kundra and Shetty’s PR refused to comment on the allegation related to the Juhu flat transaction. The couple’s advocate, Prashant Patil, said Kundra had not received a single bitcoin as alleged by the ED. “There is no prima facie case made out against my clients Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty Kundra. We have faith in a fair investigation. We stand committed to cooperating with the authorities as and when required,” he said.

Earlier, Kundra had told the ED in his statement that he had provided consultancy services to Bhardwaj for bitcoin mining. He had said the Bhardwaj brothers—Amit and Ajay—through his bitcoin wallet, had transferred the cryptocurrency into another wallet and that he didn’t know the recipient.

The Pune-based Bhardwaj brothers promoted Variabletech Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based company, and controlled gainbitcoin.com and lured investors by promising good returns. Through gainbitcoin.com, the brothers collected cryptocurrency equivalent to Rs 6,600 crore from investors, defaulted on the payment and concealed the ill-gotten bitcoins in obscure online wallets. The investors filed police cases against the Bhardwaj brothers at various places a few years ago, based on which the ED registered the money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has allegedly attached properties belonging to Raj Kundra and his wife, actress Shilpa Shetty, worth about Rs 97.79 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Bitcoin investment fraud case. According to ED sources, the attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu, currently registered under Shilpa’s name, a residential bungalow in Pune, and equity shares in Kundra’s name all worth about Rs 97.79 crore.

Kundra, who spent two months in jail in connection with a pornography case, was granted bail in September 2021. The latest action by the ED is part of a money laundering case filed against Kundra based on multiple FIRs registered by Maharashtra and Delhi Police against M/s Variable Tech Pvt Ltd, including Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simp Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and several multi-level marketing agents.

The FIRs allege that the accused collected significant funds in Bitcoins, approximately worth Rs 6,600 crore, from the public with false promises of a 10 per cent monthly return in Bitcoins.

According to ED sources, Kundra received 285 Bitcoin from Amit, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. These Bitcoins were sourced from proceeds of crime collected by Amit from unsuspecting investors.

Despite the deal falling through, Kundra did not return the 285 Bitcoins, presently valued at over Rs. 150 crores. Earlier search operations led to the arrest of three individuals—Simpy Bhardwaj, Nitin Gaur, and Nikhil Mahajan—who are currently in judicial custody. The main accused, Ajay and Mahendra, are still evading law enforcement. This marks the second attachment in the case, with earlier properties worth Rs. 69 crores being attached by the ED.

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor in connection with its probe into illegal online betting platform Mahadev Book app. The actor has been asked to appear before the agency on Friday. According to the ED, the actor had endorsed the illegal app on social media and accepted payments which the agency is treating as proceeds of crime. Kapoor wa sn’t immediately available for a comment.

Mahadev Book App is an umbrella syndicate that allows betting websites to enroll new users and create user IDs, according to the ED. Being run from the UAE, it is into online betting and gambling, which are illegal in India.

“Since this is the first summon, Kapoor could present himself in person or represent himself through a representative,” said an official privy to the development. The agency wants to know the contact and payment details from the actor.

“Kapoor would have been approached by their associates in India. We want to get details of the point person(s) as the main accused are on the run and are suspected to be holed up in Dubai. Also, the payments made to the actor are suspected to be in cash; we want to know who made the payments, the timeline of these payments and i f this was through any hawala operator,” added the official.

Other than Kapoor, the ED is probing at least a dozen celebrities, sportspeople and around 100 social media influencers who promoted the app and allegedly received payments. This is separate from a doze n Bollywood personalities, including prominent actors and singers, who are under the scanner of the ED for allegedly receiving payments for attending or performing at the wedding of Sourabh Chandrakar, one of the founders of the platform, in the UAE.

According to the ED that probes money-laundering cases, most of the payments to the celebrities were made in cash through hawal a channels. An ad for the app on social media features actors Boman Irani, Shakti Kapoor, Amisha Patel, Sonakshi Sinha and Sharddha Kapoor. So far, the ED hasn’t summoned any of them.

Actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran reacted vehemently to allegations made against him by the YouTube channel, Marunadan Malayalee, which reported that he has been making propaganda films and was forced to pay ₹25 crore to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The 40-year-old shared a statement on Instagram that read: “It has come to my attention that the YouTube channel by the name Marunadanmalayali has published a false and defamatory story, alleging that I have paid a fine of Rs. 25,00,00,000 pursuant to proceedings initiated by the Enforcement Directorate and am making propaganda films. The allegations are devoid of any truth, is malicious, and defamatory. I am initiating legal action for the false and defamatory allegations that have been made against me. I hereby request all responsible media channels to ensure that any further reporting on the allegations are done only after the facts are verified and confirmed (sic).”

The Kaduva (2022) actor added, “I usually tend to ignore these because terms like “ethical journalism” are fast becoming redundant in the times we live in. But there is a limit to prorogating absolute lies in the name of “news”. This is a fight I intend to see through to the end (sic).”

Jacqueline Fernandez has claimed that her association with jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar was one based on manipulation and deceit. “He played with my emotions and made my life hell” is what she has said in her latest statement. The actor has been embroiled in the Rs. 200-crore extortion case after she received gifts from the latter that he allegedly paid for with extorted money.

According to an India Today report, the 37-year-old added in her statement that the two started speaking after “Pinky Irani (who introduced the actor to Chandrashekhar) convinced my makeup artist that he was an important official from the Home Ministry”.

“He introduced himself as the owner of Sun TV and claimed J Jayalalithaa was his aunt. Chandrashekhar said he was a big fan, and said I should do films in south India too, and as the owner of Sun TV, they had many projects lined up,” the actor said in her statement.

Fernandez added that they would talk on phone calls and video calls at least three times a day. “He never mentioned he was calling from jail. He used to call from one corner with a curtain and a sofa in the background,” she adds, maintaining that they last spoke on call on August 8, 2021.

In a chargesheet recorded as part of the Rs. 200-crore extortion case, actor Nora Fatehi claimed that conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar wanted her to be his girlfriend. “Sukesh said he’d finance my life, family, career if I agreed to be his girlfriend,” Fatehi claimed. In return, he would take care of her financially, according to the copy of the chargesheet in news reports.

According to an India Today report, Fatehi also claimed that Pinky Irani — who reached out to her cousin with the offer — told her that Fernandez was waiting in line for Sukesh’s offer but he wanted to date Nora. “Many actresses are dying to be taken care of by Sukesh,” the actor quoted Irani’s statement.

“Initially, I did not know who Sukesh was. I neither had any personal contact nor any conversations with him,” said Fatehi, who also received a luxury car from the conman, which she returned.

The 30-year-old claimed that she got to know his conman identity only when she was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). “The only time I saw him was when the ED confronted me with him at its office,” she said.

Hyderabad: Tollywood star Vijay Deverakonda appeared before Enforcement Directorate in Hyderabad on Wednesday in connection with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) investigation. ED is investigating sourcing of funds for the recent multilingual movie, ‘Liger’ which included a cameo by boxing legend Mike Tyson.

Most of the shooting for the film was done in Las Vegas. ED sources said that Devarakonda was questioned about his role in payments that were made in the US and money received from the producers. The central agency is also questioning financiers of the film about source of funds.

--------------------------------

New Delhi: A Delhi court granted bail to actor Jacqueline Fernandez in the Rs. 200 crores money laundering case being probed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) against alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Observing the prosecution case is that Fernandez allegedly received gifts from the proceeds of crime, the court of additional sessions judge Shailender Malik said it is yet to be examined if she had knowledge, intention or connection.

“In that sense, the applicant is entitled to relief of bail, particularly when she was not arrested during the investigation,” the court said. It refused ED’s claim that Fernandez was not entitled to exemption of Section 45 on account of being a woman.

Advocates Siddhartha Aggarwal, Prashant Patil and Anan Nandjarog, appearing for Fernandez, opposed ED submissions that she was aware the gifts received by her, worth Rs 7.12 crores, were proceeds of crime and that she tried to flee India.

Referring to many SC judgments regarding grant of bail, the court said various factors needed to be considered, including prima facie case against the accused, nature and gravity of charge, severity of punishment, danger of absconding, character, behaviour, means and position of accused, likelihood of offence being repeated, reasonable apprehension of evidence being tampered, and danger of justice being thwarted.

The court refused to believe ED’s contention that Fernandez made an abortive bid to flee India on December 5, 2021.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed the bail plea filed by Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Saturday and told a Delhi court that she was not an ordinary person and had “huge financial resources with a high stature, influence as well as deep pockets”, and could interfere with the ongoing probe.

Additional sessions judge Shailender Malik, however, extended the interim bail granted to the actor till November 10. The court was hearing a case related to the Rs 200-crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar.

The court had granted interim bail to Fernandez on September 26 with five conditions, including that she wouldn’t leave the country without permission of the court. ED alleged that the actor had attempted to flee India. “During the course of the investigation, the applicant made an abortive bid to flee India but was barred by the immigration authorities,” ED told the court.

The agency claimed that the Sri Lankan actor hadn’t cooperated with the probe and tampered with evidence by deleting data from her phone and telling others to do so, which she had admitted too.

ED added that Fernandez kept “improving” her statements and till date denied she and her family members used the “proceeds of crime worth more than Rs 7.10 crores in the form of gifts and cash payments” despite being aware of the conman’s alleged criminal acts.

“This conduct of the accused shows her involvement in the act of commission of money laundering with criminal intent and knowledge on part of applicant/accused who tried her level best to utilise the proceeds of crime herself as well share the proceeds of crime with her family members,” the ED argued.

On Friday, the EOW (Economic Offences Wing) of the Delhi Police questioned Nora Fatehi at the Mandir Marg Police Station for six hours in connection with the Sukesh Chandrasekar extortion case. As per sources, the inquiry has revealed that Sukesh went to Mumbai on parole multiple times and partied with actors and gifted expensive items and cash (in crores).

Ravindra Yadav, Special CP, Crime/EOW, said, “We called Nora Fatehi to strengthen the case by questioning characters related to the crime syndicate being operated by Sukesh from jail. She was questioned for around six hours. She cooperated, but there are a few unanswered questions. Maybe we’ll need to further question. Nora said she didn’t know that the event where she was invited to in Chennai had links to this crime syndicate. But everything will have to be seen, how were the car and gifts that she had received used. We’ll reach a conclusion only with a proper probe.”

Earlier, in her reply to ED (Enforcement Directorate) attaching her assets and naming her an accused in the money laundering case, Jaqueline Fernandez had said, “What is surprising is that other celebrities, notably, Nora Fatehi was also conned by the main accused Sukesh Chandrasekar and in the present case she and other such celebrities who received gifts from the main accused are made witnesses whereas the respondent (Jaqueline) is sought to be dragged as an accused (sic).”

Jacqueline has been summoned by a Delhi court on September 26. Sources say that Jacqueline was also called by the EOW for questioning on August 29, but as she was not well she has been sent another notice to appear before the EOW on September 12. – ANI, with inputs from Niharika Lal

Jacqueline Fernandez “cooked up a false story” to “wriggle out of” the ongoing money laundering probe against Sukesh Chandrasekar, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged in its latest supplementary chargesheet, which names the actress as an accused. Last week, in her response to the freezing of her assets by the ED, Fernandez had stated that she is a victim of manipulation.

Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh, on Wednesday, took cognisance of the second supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED, and asked Fernandez to appear before the court on September 26. Here are the other accusations against Fernandez in the chargesheet.

The ED further said Fernandez, during her questioning, tried to “cover up” her conduct by constantly stating that she has been a victim in the case. However, she “failed to provide any substantial material to establish the victimisation by Sukesh.”

The agency alleged the actress and her family received “proceeds of crime” worth more than ₹7.12 crore between February to August, 2021 and these, apart from another ₹15 lakh cash given to a writer by Chandrasekar on behalf of Fernandez, were attached by the ED few months back. Fernandez filed before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against a fixed deposite attached by the ED, stating that it was created through her hardwork. She also opposed other attachment of assets. The agency in its chargesheet claimed that Chandrasekar “arranged” funds to the tune of USD 1,72,913 (₹1.37 crore, approx) in the bank account of Fernandez’s sister based in the US, at the request of the actress. Fernandez told the ED that Chandrashekar purchased a horse named ‘Espuela’ which she was “free to use” apart from four cats. The agency was told by Fernandez that she got several gifts from the accused including watches, jewellery, shoes, cloth items, among other things.

The ED claimed its probe found that Fernandez was “enjoying valuables, jewellery and costly gifts provided by Chandrasekar despite knowing about his criminal antecedents.” “From the statements recorded, it is evident that she (Fernandez) consciously chose to overlook his (Chandrasekar) criminal past and continued to indulge in financial transactions with him. Not only she but her family members and friends have benefited out of the relationship financially,” the chargesheet alleged. The ED added that since Fernandez came in touch with Chandrasekar through her aides, she has been “searching about Sukesh on Google” but she seems to have “conveniently overlooked or preferred to sideline the fact that he has strong criminal antecedents.”

The ED said Fernandez has “consistently shifted her stance with regard to the gifts being received by her and her relatives (from Chandrasekar)”. It claimed the actress divulged the details “only” after she was confronted with evidence and statements (of other accused/people involved in the case). “The investigation has disclosed that Fernandez has cooked up a false story to wriggle out of the ongoing investigation.” Fernandez has also been accused by the ED of “tampering” with the evidence after she learnt the Chandrasekar was arrested. The actress, it said, “knowingly and deliberately deleted all the data in respect of conversation made by her with accused Sukesh from her mobile phones with the aim of hampering investigation to save herself and her family members.”

The ED claimed Fernandez had first denied that Chandrasekar purchased cars for her parents living in Bahrain, but when confronted with evidence, she “admitted” the same, which “shows her connivance with the accused (Chandrasekar) to conceal the use of the proceeds of crime.”

-------------------------------------

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez knew of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s criminal past but continued to indulge in financial transactions with him, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating a ₹200 crore money laundering case, said in its supplementary chargesheet.

The actor, who has been named as an accused in the case, was “directly or indirectly involved in the proceeds of crime and acquired, possessed and used part proceeds of crime” in the form of gifts for herself and her family members and “cooked up a false story” to wriggle out of the case, ANI quoted the ED as saying.The chargesheet also added that Fernandez was well aware about “the fact that Leena Maria Paul is his wife in February 2021”.

“Despite being fully aware of his criminal history and that he is lodged in Tihar Jail, Jacqueline Fernendez was knowingly a party or actually involved in the process (money laundering) by using or enjoying the proceeds of crime by the way of valuable gifts,” the agency stated.

As a result, she committed an offence of money laundering under section 3 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, which is punishable under section 4 of the PMLA, 2002, the chargesheet further added.

“Thus, it can be safely concluded that the lure of money ensured that the criminal history of the person she was engaging with did not matter,” the chargesheet, which was filed at Patiala House court on August 17, said.

On Wednesday, the Delhi court issued a summon to Fernandez to appear before it on September 26.

New Delhi: Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar donned branded clothes and was available 24x7 on video call from inside his cell, actor Jacqueline Fernandez has claimed in a plea challenging freezing of her assets after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named her in money-laundering cases linked to him.

In her plea before PMLA’s Adjudicating Authority in Delhi, Fernandez has claimed that she was a victim conned by Sukesh, and not an accused in the case as alleged by the ED. The actor has moved the appellant authority challenging attachment of assets worth Rs 7.12 crores by freezing her bank fixed deposits. Fernandez’s plea says the FDs have no nexus with crime and are deposits from her “own legitimate income”, much before knowing the main accused.

Fernandez said that after the initial contact was made where Chandrashekhar posed as an “important” man, most of her conversations with him took place over video call where he was seen wearing expensive clothing every time.

“He would wear a different attire every day, and it was all expensive brands. He would speak from a corner in his room, which was like a couch-setting with a curtain in the background,” she wrote to the adjudicating authority.

“He used to claim that he was working at his factory for a few months in Noida, the signal there was very bad, and this was the only corner where he would get a good signal. These calls would start in the morning and would go on till the end of the day. Chandrashekhar was accessible from morning till night. In fact, he would be available 24x7 on video call (sic),” she claimed.

For any lay person, “the jail would not have a leisurely treatment with access to video calls and expensive clothes; it would be more gruesome with small rooms, uniforms, concrete walls and no access to phone, let alone the iPhone and iPad that Chandrashekhar would always have around while speaking with the respondent”, her reply states.

It also termed as “surprising” that while other celebrities—notably Norah Fatehi—were also conned by Chandrashekhar, only Fernandez was dragged into the matter as an accused.

Jacqueline Fernandez was named as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet filed in Delhi court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a Rs. 200 crores money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrasekar in a Delhi Court.

In her recent reply to the authorities who have attached several of her Fixed Deposits (FDs), she said that her FDs have no connection to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekar and were created even before he “existed. ” In a reply to adjudicating authorities of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the actress stated that the “FDs attached vide the impugned order, had no nexus with a crime nor were the Fixed Deposits created by using the alleged proceeds of crime.”

Jacqueline also added that in the present case, at best, the allegation against her is that she is the “recipient of the gifts.”

The ED in April provisionally attached assets worth Rs. 7.27 crores of the actress under the PMLA apart from Rs. 15 lakhs cash, calling the funds as “proceeds of crime.”

On Wednesday, after a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Rs. 200 crores money laundering case named Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused, her lawyer, advocate Prashant Patil, said, “The agencies have failed to appreciate that she was cheated and conned into this matter.”

A Delhi court will consider on August 31 a supplementary chargesheet filed on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate in a Rs. 200 crores money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekar, naming Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused. Fernandez, who was summoned by ED several times in the matter, has been named as an accused in the chargesheet for the first time in the case.

Advocate Prashant Patil, who is representing Fernandez in the matter, said in a statement that they had received information about the complaint being filed by the Enforcement Directorate “only through media reports”.

“There is no official communication from the Enforcement Directorate or the Hon’ble Court. My client has not received any copy of the complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate,” stated Patil, adding, “Jacqueline has always cooperated with the investigation agencies and attended all the summons issued till date. She has handed over all the information to the best of her ability to the ED. The agencies have failed to appreciate that she was cheated and conned into this matter. She is a victim of larger criminal conspiracy. (sic)”

Patil continued, “Taking the entire prosecution case to be true for the sake of arguments, even then, no case is made out against Jacqueline under the scheme of Prevention of Money Laundering Act or any other Law in force. This is a case of malafide prosecution and my client shall take steps as required under law to protect her dignity and liberty.”

The ED in April provisionally attached assets worth Rs. 7.27 crores of the actress under the PMLA apart from Rs. 15 lakh cash, calling the funds as “proceeds of crime”. “Sukesh Chandrasekhar had given various gifts worth Rs. 5.71 crores to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities, including extortion,” stated the agency.

While Fernandez didn’t directly comment on the case, she re-shared an anonymous motivational quote on her Instagram stories. “Dear me, I deserve all good things, I’m powerful, I accept myself. It’ll all be ok. I’m strong, I’ll achieve my goals and dreams. I can do it (sic),” read the post. 

--------------------------------

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s lawyer Prashant Patil came to her defence on Thursday and claimed that the actor is a “victim of a larger conspiracy.” Patil’s statement came a day after Fernandez was named in a charge sheet by the Enforcement Directorate in a Rs. 200 crores money laundering case, linked to the conman Sukesh Chandrashekar.

“She has always cooperated with the investigation agencies and attended all the summons issued till date. She has handed over all the information to the best of her ability to the ED. The agencies have failed to appreciate that she was cheated and conned into this matter. She is a victim of a larger criminal conspiracy,” he said.

Patil told a leading news portal that they will be moving to the Patiala court to ask for a copy of the charge sheet filed by ED. Patil said, “We will apply for a certified copy of the complaint filed by the ED. It’s the right of the accused, so we are hopeful to get it.”

Earlier, Fernandez had shared on her Instagram story: “Dear me, I deserve all good things, I’m powerful, I accept myself, it’ll all be okay. I’m strong, I will achieve my goals and dreams, I can do it.”

New Delhi: Actor Jacqueline Fernandez was made an accused in the Sukesh Chandrashekhar extortion racket following attachment of her assets earlier in April this year worth Rs 7.3 crores. She had benefited from acquiring properties to expensive cars and bank deposits from the ‘proceeds of crime’.

The agency had earlier claimed that the conman had transferred more than Rs 1.5 crores to family members of Fernandez in foreign accounts using hawala dealers.

Fernandez was last questioned by the ED on June 27 this year at its Delhi office in connection with the conman spending over Rs 20 crore on luxury properties, bribing prison staff and offering expensive gifts to Bollywood actresses and models.

The agency is investigating the extortion syndicate of Chandrashekhar who is allegedly trying to create ‘circumstances’ for his shift from Delhi’s Tihar jail to some other state prison by appealing in the Supreme Court. So far, the ED has arrested eight persons in the money laundering case against Chandrashekhar, including his wife Leena Maria Paul and associate Pinki Irani.

The conman, while he was lodged in a Delhi prison, extorted Rs 200 crores from a businessman’s wife tricking her by claiming to ‘manage’ home ministry and ED officials for the release of her husband.

Fernandez has been questioned four times by the agency. The officials have details of financial transactions that show the actress received huge cash and other gifts from the conman. Earlier this year, the agency had attached fixed deposits worth Rs 7.12 crores and Rs 15 lakhs cash belonging to the actor.

--------------------------------------

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to name Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in a multi-crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekar and others, officials said on Wednesday. The federal probe agency reportedly filed a fresh (supplementary) chargesheet or prosecution complaint in this case before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi on Wednesday and the actress has been arraigned in it as an accused, they said.

The 36-year-old actress, a Sri Lanka national, has been questioned multiple times by the agency in the case, the last being in June. The ED in April provisionally attached Rs. 7.27 crores assets of the actress under the PMLA apart from Rs. 15 lakh cash, as the agency called these funds “proceeds of crime”. 

“Sukesh Chandrasekar had given various gifts worth Rs. 5.71 crores to Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities, including extortion. Chandrasekar had Pinky Irani, his longtime associate and co-accused in this case, deliver the said gifts to her,” the ED had then said in a statement.

In addition to these gifts, it said, Chandrasekar also gave “funds to the tune of USD 1,72,913 (about Rs. 1.3 crores as per current exchange rate) and AUD 26,740 (₹14 lakhs, approx) to the close family members of Fernandez out of the proceeds of crime through co-accused Avtar Singh Kochhar, an established and well known international hawala operator.”

The agency said its probe also found that Chandrasekar had “delivered cash to the tune of Rs. 15 lakhs to a script writer on behalf of Fernandez as advance for writing a script of her web series project.”

--------------------------------------

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to name actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in a multi-crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others, the officials said on Wednesday.

The federal agency filed a supplementary charge sheet or prosecution complaint in the case before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi, and the actor has been arraigned in it as an accused.

Fernandez, 36, has been questioned multiple times by the agency in this case, the last being in June. In April, the ED provisionally attached Rs. 7.27 crores funds of the actor, a Sri Lankan national, under PMLA, apart from ₹15 lakh cash as the agency called these funds as “proceeds of crime”.

“Sukesh Chandrasekhar had given various gifts worth Rs. 5.71 crores to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities including extortion. He had put Pinky Irani, his long-time associate and co-accused in this case to deliver the gifts to Fernandez,” the ED had stated then.

There was no reaction from Fernandez till the time of going to press.

Mumbai: Rejecting actor and businessman Sachiin Joshi’s plea to fly to Switzerland to meet his daughter and resolve certain issues with her boarding school there, a special PMLA court on Monday said that when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) expresses fears of a flight risk, it cannot be overlooked and ignored. “Once the applicant (Joshi) leaves India and if he does not return, the purpose of the trial will frustrate,” special judge MG Deshpande said.

Accused in a money laundering case, Joshi was granted bail in March. In May, the same court rejected Joshi’s plea to travel abroad for six months, observing that granting of such permission will amount to inviting a flight risk.

The court had then noted that during his incarceration Joshi had made various attempts to stay out of jail by citing ill-health.

In Monday’s order, the special judge referred to the email sent by the school and said that the matter could be resolved by making the requisite deposit in its account.

“It has to be noted that the applicant was behind bars and in hospital for a long period. Certainly, he must have made proper arrangements for the education of his daughter,” the judge said.

The judge also said that he could consult the school authorities through video conference. “It cannot be ignored that many times the accused had registered his appearance through a mobile when he was on a stretcher in the hospital. He can similarly resolve this difficulty through a video conference. Regarding emotional support, the applicant can invite his daughter to India for some days by requesting the school management,” the judge said.

Joshi was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on February 14, 2021. The ED had submitted its chargesheet against Joshi, Omkar Group promoters Babulal Varma, Kamal Kishor Gupta and 14 firms associated with them.