The Supreme Court of India today declined to entertain a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez against the Delhi High Court’s order in the ongoing Rs 215 crore money laundering case linked to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih observed that the case is still at the stage of framing charges. The Court, however, granted liberty to Fernandez to approach the apex court again at an appropriate stage in the trial.
Supreme Court on Jacqueline Fernandez Case
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Fernandez’s plea seeking to quash the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the supplementary complaint filed under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and all related proceedings.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Fernandez, argued that Chandrashekhar, who allegedly extorted over Rs 200 crore by posing as senior government officials, was merely infatuated with the actress. He pointed out that she received gifts worth Rs 5.7 crore from him but was unaware they were purchased using proceeds of crime.
Court’s Observation on Money Laundering Charges
Justice Datta, however, remarked that the chargesheet already contained allegations that part of the extortion money had reached Fernandez in the form of gifts. “The law is such that anybody can be involved,” the judge noted, refusing to intervene at this preliminary stage.
Rohatgi also sought adjournment of the matter, but the bench declined. The Court clarified that Fernandez has the option to re-approach the Supreme Court once the trial progresses beyond the stage of framing charges.
Background of the Rs 215 Crore Case
The case dates back to August 2021, when a complaint was filed by Aditi Shivinder Singh, alleging extortion of more than Rs 200 crore through calls made by individuals impersonating senior government officials. A subsequent trap led to the exposure of Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s high-profile racket.
The Delhi High Court, while rejecting Fernandez’s plea earlier, held that at the stage of framing of charges, the prosecution’s material must be considered as true. The Court also emphasized that the question of “knowledge” under PMLA could extend from actual knowledge to willful blindness, which can only be determined during trial.
With the Supreme Court dismissing Jacqueline Fernandez’s petition, the actress now has the option of challenging the charges at a later stage once the trial progresses further. For now, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) proceedings and money laundering charges remain in place.
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