Supreme Court To Hear Jacqueline Fernandez’s Plea in Money Laundering Case

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Thursday a petition filed by actor Jacqueline Fernandez challenging a Delhi trial court order directing the framing of charges against her and alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar in a ₹200 crore money laundering case. A bench comprising Justices PK Mishra and AS Chandurkar agreed to hear the matter after Jacqueline's counsel sought an urgent listing before the court on Tuesday.

The plea challenges a May 30 order of a Delhi court, which directed that charges be framed against the actor in a case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Jacqueline has approached the Supreme Court directly instead of first challenging the trial court’s decision before the Delhi High Court. The move has drawn attention because higher courts generally expect litigants to exhaust available remedies before approaching the apex court, although exceptions may be made depending on the circumstances of a case.

During the mention of the matter, advocate Rameeza Hakim, appearing for Jacqueline, argued that the case presented an unusual situation. She told the court that her client was a prosecution witness in the predicate or scheduled offence connected to the alleged fraud, while simultaneously being named as an accused in the money laundering proceedings initiated by the Enforcement Directorate.

The money laundering case stems from allegations that Chandrashekhar orchestrated a large-scale extortion racket and used the proceeds of crime to provide expensive gifts and financial benefits to several individuals, including Jacqueline. The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the actor received luxury items and other benefits linked to funds generated through criminal activities, a claim she has consistently disputed.

Jacqueline has maintained that she was unaware of the alleged criminal origins of the gifts and had herself been misled by Chandrashekhar. Her legal team has argued that there is insufficient material to proceed against her under the anti-money laundering law and that the charges framed by the trial court are not legally sustainable.

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The Supreme Court’s hearing will focus on whether the trial court’s decision to frame charges should be upheld or whether the proceedings against the actor warrant reconsideration. The outcome could have significant implications for the next stage of the case, which has attracted considerable public and media attention because of the high-profile personalities involved.

The Enforcement Directorate, which has been investigating the alleged ₹200 crore fraud and related money laundering activities, is expected to defend the trial court’s order during the hearing. The case remains one of the most closely watched financial crime investigations involving figures from the entertainment industry.

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