Actress Jacqueline Fernandez’s Plea Rejected: The ₹200 Crore Money Laundering Case Takes An Unexpected Turn

By Gopal Ram Tripathi

ON THURSDAY, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra withdrew himself from hearing actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s plea challenging the framing of charges against her in the ₹200 crore money laundering case that is highly linked towards alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. On June 25, there will be a hearing regarding this matter before a newly formed bench.

Justice Mishra, alongside Justice AS Chandurkar, relinquished their role after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned his appearance on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Case Under-Review

Fernandez’s challenge to an order passed by a Delhi sessions court in late May 2026 has become a matter for the Supreme Court. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) forms a formal charging case against her. The accused, Chandrashekar, his wife Leena Maria Paul, Deepak Ramnani, Pradeep Ramdanee, B. Mohanraj, Arun Muthu, D. Kamlesh Kothari, Pinky Irani alongside Fernandez pleaded not guilty in front of the court and claimed trial. There were more names included in the case, the other accused were Pooja Singh, Dharam Singh Meena, Mahendra Prasad Sundriyal, Sunder Bora, Komal Poddar, Jitendra Narula, Avinash Kumar and Jai Prakash Singhal.

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The grassroots of the case connects when Aditi Singh, wife of former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivender Mohan Singh filed a complaint, accusing Chandrashekar of extortion of over ₹200 crore from her family. Investigators claimed that Chandrashekar orchestrated the schematic plan from inside Rohini Jail in Delhi, with the use of illegal mobile phones he made fraudulent calls by impersonating senior government officials, to manipulate victims into transferring funds, also thereafter possessed and projected the same as untainted property with the help of his associates.

Fernandez Caught in The Act

Originally Fernandez was not among the accused. ED summoned her as a witness in 2021, when it began examining the trail of the alleged extortion proceeds. In its subsequent supplementary chargesheet, the agency named her as an accused, alleging that she received expensive gifts including jewellery, luxury items, and cash  bought with the proceeds of Chandrashekar's extortion racket.

The ED has alleged that Fernandez received gifts worth approximately ₹7.12 crore, with an additional ₹1.12 crore worth of gifts delivered to her sister in Sri Lanka. An alleged aide of Chandrashekar, Pinky Irani, is accused of selecting and delivering these gifts to the actress on his behalf. The agency further alleged that Fernandez was "enjoying valuables, jewellery and expensive gifts provided by Chandrashekar despite knowing about his criminal history." Assets and fixed deposits worth ₹7.2 crore belonging to the actress were attached by the ED.

Fernandez has consistently denied any wrongdoing. She has maintained that she was unaware of Chandrashekar's alleged criminal background and that she was, in effect, a victim of his deception.

Where Does It All Began From

The investigation has been one of the most closely watched legal proceedings involving a Bollywood personality in recent years. Here is how events unfolded:

In 2021: The ED begins questioning Fernandez as a witness. Searches across multiple premises yield seizures including a beachfront bungalow in Chennai, ₹82.5 lakh in cash, 2 kg of gold, and 16 luxury cars linked to the case.

December 2021: The ED files its first chargesheet before a Delhi court.

February 2022: A supplementary chargesheet is filed against Pinky Irani, the alleged intermediary between Chandrashekar and Bollywood actresses.

September–November 2022: A Delhi court grants Fernandez interim protection from arrest, followed by pre-arrest bail. The ED files a second supplementary chargesheet formally naming her as an accused. Her assets worth ₹7.2 crore are attached.

2022–2024: Fernandez is questioned by the ED on at least five separate occasions. She approaches courts on multiple occasions to seek permission for international travel for professional commitments.

July 2024: The ED summons Fernandez again, citing fresh inputs obtained during the investigation.

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May 2026: A Delhi sessions court formally frames charges under PMLA against Fernandez, Chandrashekar, and 15 co-accused, directing all of them to appear before the court on June 3, 2026.

June 11, 2026: Fernandez moves the Supreme Court challenging the charge-framing order. The bench assigned to hear the matter is reconstituted after Justice PK Mishra recuses himself. The case is now listed before a fresh bench on June 25.

What To Expect Next

It surely indicates that Jacqueline Fernandez was aware of the fact that Chandrashekar was conning people and had a criminal past. Still Fernandez forged a story just to get out of the picture. The statement was made by the Enforcement Directorate in their chargesheet.  Fernandez’s Plea will be heard with a fresh new bench in the Supreme Court. Her team will look to annul the charges framed against her and on the other hand ED will defend the trial court’s order. The outcome will decide whether her full trial will proceed in Delhi court or provide her with relief in Supreme Court.

The criminal case involving charges of organised crime, extortion, and impersonation under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) against Chandrashekar and over twenty co-accused continues separately before the Delhi courts.   

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