A Delhi court has ordered the framing of charges against 17 accused, including alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, in connection with the alleged ₹200-crore extortion and money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The order marks a significant step in the proceedings and clears the way for the trial to move forward.
Court Finds Sufficient Material for Charges
Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma observed that there was sufficient material on record to raise a strong suspicion against the accused at this stage of the case.
The court stated that the accused are liable to be charged under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which is punishable under Section 4 of the Act.
The order does not determine guilt or innocence but allows the prosecution to proceed with trial proceedings.
Allegations Against Sukesh Chandrashekhar
According to the prosecution, Sukesh Chandrashekhar allegedly operated an organized criminal network while lodged in prison. Investigators claim he impersonated senior government officials and used fraudulent methods to target victims.
Authorities allege that he posed as officials associated with various government departments and agencies to gain the trust of individuals and obtain large sums of money through deception.
Chandrashekhar was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2017 and later by the Enforcement Directorate in 2021 as part of the money laundering investigation.
ED’s Case
The ED alleges that the proceeds of crime exceeded ₹200 crore and were generated through extortion, cheating, impersonation, and criminal intimidation.
According to the agency, the money was allegedly used to purchase:
- Real estate properties
- Luxury vehicles
- High-value gifts
- Other assets
Investigators also claim that the funds were moved through multiple channels, including bank accounts, shell entities, cash transactions, and alleged hawala networks, to conceal their origin.
Allegations Involving Jacqueline Fernandez
In its supplementary complaint, the Enforcement Directorate alleged that Jacqueline Fernandez remained in contact with Chandrashekhar and received expensive gifts through intermediary Pinky Irani.
Fernandez has previously maintained that she was unaware of any alleged criminal activities connected to Chandrashekhar. The legal proceedings will now continue before the trial court, where evidence and arguments from both sides will be examined.
Digital and Financial Evidence Collected
The ED informed the court that its investigation involved the collection of various forms of evidence, including:
- Mobile phone data
- WhatsApp conversations
- Telegram communications
- Call records
- Banking transactions
- Forensic reports
- Cash movement details
Statements from multiple accused and witnesses were also recorded under the provisions of the PMLA during the investigation.
List of Accused
Apart from Sukesh Chandrashekhar and Jacqueline Fernandez, those named in the case include:
- Leena Maria Paul
- Pinky Irani
- Deepak Ramnani
- Pradeep Ramdanee
- B. Mohanraj
- Arun Muthu
- D. Kamlesh Kothari
- Pooja Singh
- Dharam Singh Meena
- Mahender Prasad Sundriyal
- Sunder Bora
- Komal Poddar
- Jitender Narula
- Avinash Kumar
- Jai Prakash Singhal
What Happens Next?
With the court ordering the framing of charges, the matter will proceed to the trial stage. The prosecution and defense will have the opportunity to present evidence and arguments before the court reaches any final conclusions.
As the case continues to attract national attention due to the high-profile names involved, further legal developments are expected in the coming months.
