₹200 cr ED case: Jacqueline allowed to travel to Dubai

NEW DELHI: The Patiala House Court of Delhi on Friday allowed Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez to travel to Dubai from January 27 to January 30 to attend the PepsiCo India Conference.

The Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik on Friday while granting permission said that this court is very much conscious of the case which is at crucial stage when the matter is being heard at the point of charges and the case involves a very high stake in the sense that there are very serious allegations made against the accused persons including accused/applicant.

However that fact by itself cannot be a reason to deprive the accused at this stage of travelling abroad when she is to fulfil her professional commitments, said the Court.

More particularly when it is pointed out by Counsel for the accused that on account of her acting career accused/ applicant has been nominated for the prestigious Oscars Award. In such situation it is all the more necessary for the sake of the pride of the country that unnecessary restrictions may not be imposed unless it is required for the accused said the court.

The court said the accused shall submit an FDR to the tune of Rs 1 crore along with an undertaking that in case of her not return, the 'DR shall be forfeited in favour of the ED along with the surety of Rs 1 crore.

The accused/applicant shall submit her itinerary, place of stay and the number at which she can be contacted. On her return, the accused/applicant shall inform the investigating agency about her return. The court made it clear that the LOC against the accused/ applicant issued in this case shall stand suspended during the aforesaid period.

However, ED has opposed the travel abroad plea stating that the accused/applicant did not cooperate in the investigation and rather tried to conceal the evidence. It is stated that the case is at the crucial stage of consideration on charge and there is sufficient oral and documentary evidence against the accused/applicant.

On Wednesday, Jacqueline moved an application seeking permission to travel to Dubai from January 27 to January 30, 2023, to attend the PepsiCo India conference. The plea stated that Applicant/Jacqueline seeking permission from this Court to travel to Dubai from January 27, 2023, to January 30, 2023.

The reason for undertaking the travel to Dubai is on account of the PepsiCo India Conference in Dubai; to which the Applicant has recently received an Invitation.

The Applicant recently received an invitation to perform at the said PepsiCo Conference in Dubai as a star performer for the concert scheduled on Sunday, the 29th of January, 2023 for the Annual Bottler Conference organized by PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. Jacqueline Fernandez is being investigated by the ED in an Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Jacqueline Fernandez earlier had appeared before the probe agency for questioning in a money laundering investigation against alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others.

Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan National living in India since 2009 and belongs to a Bollywood Fraternity and holds a good name in the Bollywood industry, stated the application She earlier stated that being a renowned film the actress has been invited to Events, press conferences, Rehearsals & participation in the event. The Applicant has always joined the investigation before the Enforcement

Directorate and remains present in all court proceedings, following the law of the land. She earlier stated that she is ready and willing to abide by any such conditions that this Court may deem fit to impose if the prayer sought is granted, in accordance with the law.

The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police on Monday also filed a supplementary chargesheet against Pinki in connection investigation of the Rs 200-crore extortion case involving conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

According to Delhi police Mumbai-based Pinky Irani is said to be a close aide of Chandrashekhar and introduced him to bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez.

The fresh supplementary also mentioned the progress taken place through the recording of various statements including Jacqueline Fernandez, Nora Fatehi etc

This ED case is based on an FIR filed by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Sukesh Chandrasekhar who is accused of cheating and extorting Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Religare Enterprises Shivinder Mohan Singh, who was arrested in October 2019 in a case related to alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Ltd.

Chandrasekhar and his associates reportedly took money from Aditi after posing as government officials and promising to get bail for her husband. Chandrasekhar reportedly persuaded Aditi to transfer money by impersonating a central government official over a spoof call while he was lodged in Rohini jail and promised to manage bail for her husband.

Both Chandrasekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul were arrested by the Delhi Police in September last year for their alleged role in the duping case.