Thu Jul 03 12:27:25 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Delhi High Court Denies Jacqueline Fernandez’s Plea to Quash Money Laundering Charges**

**New Delhi, India** – In a significant blow to Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez, the Delhi High Court today rejected her petition to dismiss criminal proceedings against her in connection with a Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Justice Anish Dayal’s bench delivered the verdict on Thursday, upholding the charges brought against Fernandez by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court had reserved its decision in April after hearing arguments from both sides.

Fernandez’s legal team had argued that the actress was unaware that the gifts she received from Chandrasekhar were derived from illicit funds. They emphasized that she did not know the gifts were part of the proceeds of crime and sought the quashing of the ED’s second supplementary chargesheet and related trial court proceedings.

However, the ED countered that Fernandez’s petition was untenable, as the trial court had already acknowledged the chargesheet and found a prima facie case against her. The ED also highlighted that Fernandez allegedly failed to verify news reports about Chandrasekhar before accepting gifts from him.

Chandrasekhar is currently incarcerated for allegedly defrauding the spouses of former Ranbaxy promoters, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore. He faces numerous investigations nationwide for similar offenses. The ED alleges that Chandrasekhar and his wife, Leena Paulose, laundered money through hawala channels and shell companies, with the assistance of other individuals.

Fernandez’s legal team had contended that the actress discovered a newspaper article about Chandrasekhar in February 2019 but was persuaded by co-accused Pinky Irani that Chandrasekhar was being unfairly targeted due to his political connections. They insisted that a newspaper article could not serve as evidence.

The Delhi High Court’s decision marks a critical development in the ongoing legal battle, leaving Fernandez facing the prospect of a full trial in the money laundering case.

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