More trouble for Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, could even be arrested?

NEW DELHI, (Agencies): More trouble is in store for Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez in the coming days and all depends on her replies and co-operation with the investigating agencies including the Economic Offences wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police as well as the Enforcement Directorate.

Fernandez was Wednesday questioned by the Delhi Police’s EOW for over eight hours in connection with an extortion case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and is likely to be called again by the agency.

According to a Free Press Journal report, Jacqueline told the EOW that, “She was advised by her co-stars to be wary of Sukesh but she continued meeting him and accepting expensive gifts like cars and pedigree pets because she was madly in love with him and had got emotionally attached to him. She had decided to marry him.” ALSO READ: Failed love affair probable cause of actress Pauline Deepa’s suicide: Police summon Asst director

On Thursday, a day after Fernandez was quizzed, actor Nora Fatehi was also questioned by the EOW with regard to the same case.

The Enforcement Directorate has named Jacqueline as an accused in its charge sheet in the case, alleging she received gifts and monetary benefits from the money Sukesh acquired by illegal methods including fraud, forgery and extortion. ALSO READ: Sonali Phogat was addicted to drugs, family did not know, blamed me, alleges PA

According to an ANI report, Special Commissioner of Police (EOW) Ravindra Yadav hinted that there is more trouble in store for Fernandez, telling the news agency that all depends on her co-operation in the ongoing investigation.

While speaking to ANI, Ravinder Yadav said, “There is more trouble for Jaqueline as she did not cut ties with Sukesh even after knowing his criminal antecedents. But Nora did disconnect herself once she suspected that something is fishy.”

Yadav told ANI that Chandrashekhar would try to influence the Bollywood actor as he had a huge wealth of properties which he acquired through extortion. ALSO READ: Sonali Phogat urinated in her underwear due to overdose, herself ordered drugs worth Rs 12,000 

Legal experts opined that Fernandez continued her relationship with Chandrashekhar even after knowing about his criminal background and realizing that the gifts and largesse he bestowed on her were all obtained via criminal methods and were not the gains or profits of any legitimate business.

Fernandez retained the gifts and money and did not return them even after knowing fully well that they were the fruits of crime and extortion and hence becomes a known and willing beneficiary of criminal profits and proceeds of crime.

According to a Hindustan Times report, while accusing Fernandez of deliberately holding back the truth till now, the ED stated in its charge sheet, “Jacqueline Fernandez consciously chose to overlook Chandrasekhar’s criminal past and continued to indulge in financial transactions with him.”

“Not only her but her family members and friends benefited out of the relationship financially. 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 ED charge sheet mentioned, which was accessed by Hindustan Times.

Further, the ED accused Fernandez of constantly changing her version on the gifts being received by her and her relatives.

Referring to Jacqueline’s conduct during the probe, the ED stated in its charge sheet that the actor’s statement was recorded on five occasions but she deliberately varied and changed the narration of facts.

It added that the 37-year-old Sri Lankan national also wiped her phone clean after learning of Chandrasekhar’s arrest to delete and destroy evidence of her association with him.

“Accused Jacqueline Fernandez continued to receive, enjoy and possess proceeds of crime for herself and her family members. She initially didn’t admit the factum of having received huge monies and valuable gifts transferred to her parents, brother and sister in India and abroad as well, which has been otherwise established during the course of the investigation,” the ED has claimed in its supplementary charge sheet filed in court.

Meanwhile, the EOW has recovered a super bike, of the Ducati make, costing around ₹8 lakh from Prashant, Jacqueline’s manager. This bike was gifted by Sukesh to Prashant.

According to the ED charge sheet which names Fernandez, she was the “beneficiary of the proceeds of extorted money” and that the ED is convinced that she was aware of the fact that conman Sukesh was an extortionist, yet continued her relationship with him and kept the gifts and money.

As per the ANI report, Jaqueline was so convinced and influenced by Chandrashekhar that she would call him ‘man of her dreams’ and was thinking of marrying him.

Nora, on the other hand, never met Chandrashekhar. She had only talked with him through Whatsapp, twice, the ANI report said.

During the interrogation by Delhi EOW, Jacqueline Fernandez admitted to have been in a relationship with Chandrashekhar for six months but claimed that she did not know about his activities, a police officer was quoted as saying by PTI.

With inputs from Agencies