SC refuses to interfere in ED case against Jacqueline Fernandez

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with a Delhi High Court order that dismissed Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez's plea to quash money laundering proceedings initiated against her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A Bench led by Justice Dipankar Datta heard submissions from senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ms Fernandez, who argued that she had merely received "gifts" from alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, the prime accused in a ₹200-crore money laundering case.

Ms Fernandez contended that the case against her was a “camouflage” for failed charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), which authorities had allegedly attempted to invoke against her earlier.

What is the case?

The ED case arises from a 2022 FIR filed by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police, which accuses Chandrashekhar of impersonating a senior government official to extort money from Aditi Singh, wife of former Religare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh, in exchange for a bogus promise to secure his release from jail.

While the EOW is investigating corruption and fraud inside the prison, the ED is pursuing a parallel money laundering probe. Fernandez has been named as a co-accused in the ED’s supplementary charge sheet and was granted bail in 2022 upon furnishing a ₹2 lakh personal bond and a surety of the same amount.

During the hearing, Justice Datta observed that the core allegation was that proceeds of crime laundered by Mr Chandrasekhar had reached Ms Fernandez in the form of expensive gifts. The court, however, clarified that any observations made by the High Court in its earlier order would not prejudice her right to seek appropriate relief in future legal proceedings.

With this, the Supreme Court effectively upheld the continuation of the money laundering probe against the actor.