The Enforcement Directorate has named Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in a Indian Rs 215 crore extortion case. The ED is likely to file the chargesheet against the Bollywood actor on Wednesday.
Sources said that the ED had found Jacqueline to be the beneficiary of the proceeds of the extorted money. The ED believes she was aware that conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar was an extortionist.
Earlier, the ED had found that Sukesh had sent her gifts worth Rs 10 crore. The ED has so far attached assets of the actor worth more than Rs 7 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Jacqueline Fernandez was questioned multiple times by the ED for her alleged links with Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
Thirty-three-year-old Sukesh Chandrashekhar is being investigated in over 32 criminal cases by several state police and three central agencies — CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax.
Sukesh Chandrasekhar is accused of extorting Rs 215 crore from the wife of a Delhi businessman through spoof calls. While Sukesh was lodged in a Delhi jail, he extorted money from the victim by pretending to be an officer from the Prime Minister’s office, the Law Ministry and the Home Ministry. Sukesh claimed in the phone calls that he would secure bail for the victim’s husband and get their pharmaceutical business running.
Sukesh is also involved in a five-year-old cheating case involving politician TTV Dhinakaran. He was placed under arrest by the ED on April 4 in relation to the case.
(IT)
