Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has approached the Supreme Court seeking relief against a recent Delhi court order directing the framing of charges against her in the high-profile Rs 200-crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
The appeal comes shortly after a Delhi court ruled that sufficient grounds existed to proceed with charges against Jacqueline, Chandrasekhar, his wife Leena Maria Paul, and several other accused individuals. The court's order effectively cleared the way for formal trial proceedings to begin in both the money laundering investigation conducted by the Enforcement Directorate and a parallel criminal case investigated by the Delhi Police.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, Jacqueline maintained regular contact with Chandrasekhar despite allegedly being aware of his criminal history. Investigators claim that she received a variety of expensive gifts from him through an intermediary, Pinky Irani.
The ED alleges that these gifts were purchased using proceeds of crime generated through an extensive extortion racket that Chandrasekhar allegedly operated while incarcerated. According to the agency, the money used to acquire luxury items and other benefits originated from funds illegally obtained through fraud, impersonation, and extortion activities.
Jacqueline Fernandez has consistently denied any involvement in wrongdoing. Throughout the investigation, she has maintained that she was unaware of the alleged criminal origins of the gifts and had no knowledge that any money or assets connected to Chandrasekhar were linked to unlawful activities.
The Delhi court's order on May 30 covered two separate but related cases. One concerns allegations of money laundering under laws investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, while the second arises from a criminal case originally registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell and later investigated by the Economic Offences Wing.
In those proceedings, charges were framed against Chandrasekhar and approximately twenty other accused persons for a range of offences. These include allegations of extortion, cheating, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, violations of information technology laws, and provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
Investigators allege that Chandrasekhar orchestrated a sophisticated criminal operation from inside prison. According to the prosecution, he and his associates impersonated senior government officials and used fake identities to deceive victims into transferring large sums of money.
Authorities claim that members of the network posed as officials from institutions such as the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Justice. Through a combination of spoofed phone calls, encrypted communication platforms, and fabricated credentials, the group allegedly convinced victims that they had access to influential government channels.
The central victim in the case is Aditi Singh, wife of former Ranbaxy promoter Shivinder Singh. According to her complaint, she was contacted in 2020 by an individual claiming to be a senior official from the Union Law Ministry.
Investigators say the callers promised assistance in resolving legal issues involving her husband and associated companies. Over time, the alleged network continued to impersonate high-ranking government officials and convinced the family to part with substantial sums of money.
According to the prosecution's version of events, nearly Rs 217 crore was extorted from Aditi Singh and her family through a series of fraudulent representations and deceptive communications. The funds were allegedly transferred on multiple occasions under the belief that the payments would facilitate legal and administrative assistance.
Law enforcement agencies later traced the operation through technical surveillance and digital evidence. Investigators claim they identified Chandrasekhar as the individual directing the scheme through analysis of mobile phone records and communications linked to the extortion operation.
At the time the alleged offences were being committed, Chandrasekhar was already lodged in Rohini Jail in connection with another high-profile case. In that matter, he faced allegations that he had accepted money from TTV Dhinakaran while claiming he could help retain the AIADMK party's "Two Leaves" election symbol.
Chandrasekhar was arrested by Delhi Police in 2017, and subsequent investigations by multiple agencies expanded into what authorities describe as a vast network involving fraud, extortion, impersonation, and money laundering.
The Enforcement Directorate alleges that proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 200 crore were generated through these activities. According to investigators, the money was subsequently routed through various associates, layered through financial transactions, and projected as legitimate assets in an effort to conceal its criminal origins.
The legal proceedings have attracted considerable public attention due to the involvement of prominent public figures, the large sums allegedly involved, and the unusual allegations that a major extortion operation was conducted from inside prison facilities.
Jacqueline's challenge before the Supreme Court represents the latest development in a case that has been unfolding for several years. The court will now examine her plea against the framing of charges while the broader proceedings against Chandrasekhar, his associates, and other accused individuals continue through the criminal justice system.
At this stage, the allegations remain subject to judicial determination. The prosecution maintains that sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial, while Jacqueline Fernandez continues to deny any criminal involvement and asserts that she had no knowledge of the alleged illegal source of the gifts she received.
