New Delhi: Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez in her reply to the authorities of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act who have attached several of her Fixed Deposits (FDs), has maintained that her FDs are from her ‘own legitimate of income’ and have no connection to conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar and were created even before the conman ‘existed’. Her investments were attached by the authority after Jacqueline’s name emerged in the 200-crore money laundering case involving Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, Jacqueline Fernandez in her reply said: “Just because she is (a) recipient of certain gifts which were forced on her for forming a connect, can’t be used to ignore the fact which the record otherwise clearly shows that she was conned by Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The approach of ED, unfortunately, seems to be highly mechanical and motivated, hence, blinded towards the fact that respondent (Jacqueline) has lost more than what can be measured in money”.
Jacqueline also accused ED of malafide and said that Nora Fatehi and other celebrities who received gifts from the main accused Sukesh Chandrashekhar are made witnesses whereas she is sought to be dragged as an accused.
“What is surprising is that like the respondent (Jacqueline), some other celebrities, notably Norah Fatehi was also conned by Chandrasekhar and Fatehi and other such celebrities who received gifts from the accused, are made witnesses whereas she is sought to be dragged as an accused. This clearly shows a malafide, motivated and biased approach on the part of investigation authority which cannot be ignored,” Hindustan Times quoted her reply to PMLA.
The actress also claimed that Chandrasekhar insisted on showering her with gifts despite her repeated refusals.
Last week, the actress was named as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate in the ₹ 200 crore extortion case against Sukesh Chandrashekar. The actress has been named as a beneficiary of the extortion money. The chargesheet reportedly mentions that the actor was aware that Sukesh Chandrashekhar was a criminal and an extortionist.