NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday granted time to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response by May 8 to actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s plea seeking to turn approver in the Rs 200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma allowed the central agency’s request for additional time, noting its submission that the application was “vague” and required detailed examination. The matter has now been listed for hearing on May 8.
Fernandez had moved the court on April 17, seeking pardon and permission to turn approver in the case. The court took her application on record and issued notice to the ED. During the hearing, the agency argued that the plea lacked clarity and sought time to file a comprehensive reply.
The actor has claimed that she possesses material information that could assist the prosecution in its investigation. She was named as an accused for the first time in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED and has been summoned multiple times during the probe.
In November 2022, a Delhi court granted her bail, observing that custody was not required as the investigation had been completed and the chargesheet filed. She was not arrested in the case. The case stems from allegations that Chandrasekhar duped the spouses of former Ranbaxy promoters, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, of `200 crore. Based on an FIR by Delhi Police, the ED initiated a probe into the alleged money trail.
It is alleged that Fernandez received expensive gifts from Chandrasekhar, sourced from proceeds of crime. Chandrasekhar and his wife, Leena Paulose, are facing multiple cases across the country.