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Jacqueline Fernandez says she was ‘forced’ to accept gifts from conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar

Jacqueline Fernandez says she was ‘forced’ to accept gifts from conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar

The actor has been named in a money laundering case and says what she has "lost and suffered as a woman" cannot be calculated in monetary terms.
25 Aug, 2022

Bollywood’s Jacqueline Fernandez says she too was conned and manipulated by conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar a week after she was named in a charge sheet filed by India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a money laundering case involving Chandrasekhar. The Sri Lankan actor was charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and said, through her lawyer, that the most she could be accused of is receiving gifts from the conman himself.

In April this year, the ED had ordered the provisional attachment of Fernandez’s fixed deposits worth INR 72 million and just a week ago, it filed a charge sheet against her, accusing the Vikrant Rona actor of laundering proceeds of crime.

The Hindustan Times reviewed her response filed through her lawyer Prashant Patil where she said, “Just because she is (a) recipient of certain gifts which were forced on her for forming a connect, can’t be used to ignore the fact which the record otherwise clearly shows that she was conned by Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The approach of ED, unfortunately, seems to be highly mechanical and motivated, hence, blinded towards the fact that respondent (Jacqueline) has lost more than what can be measured in money.”

Asserting that she was manipulated, Fernandez added via her representative, “What she has lost and suffered as a woman cannot be calculated in monetary terms”.

Regarding the INR 72 million fixed deposits, the actor said they were created through the reinvestment of proceeds of already existing fixed deposits and was “her professionally earned income generated through blood and sweat and working in the industry for so long”.

Fernandez also accused the enforcement of malafide intentions. “What is surprising is that like the respondent (Jacqueline), some other celebrities, notably Norah Fatehi was also conned by Chandrasekhar and Fatehi and other such celebrities who received gifts from the accused, are made witnesses whereas she is sought to be dragged as an accused. This clearly shows a mala fide, motivated and biased approach on the part of investigation authority which cannot be ignored,” the actor added.

She revealed that she was lured into forming connection with the alleged conman Chandrasekhar but never abetted his activities. While giving her statement, she revealed that to lure her in, Chandrasekhar used Pinki Irani alias Angel, another accused, to connect with her and claimed himself to be the nephew of the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and someone who owns Sun TV.

In addition to her claim that the conman “insisted” on showering her with multiple gifts despite her refusing to accept any, the Sri Lankan citizen said that the conman would go on a rampage and if his gifts were not accepted or she did not respond, he would instruct his men to leave the gifts with a watchman outside her gate. She added that she never had the opportunity to check the source of these gifts that arrived at her doorstep.

Pointing towards the charges against Chandrasekhar, who allegedly cheated the rich of INR 2 billion by impersonating an influential person with political connections and a company of his own, Fernandez said, “The conduct of accepting gifts from a person who had impersonated himself makes her a victim and maximum a prosecution witness.”

India’s ED has yet to response to the comments made by the Bachchhan Paandey actor.

According to the publication, the conman is currently at the Tihar prison and had given a lot of expensive gifts to Fernandez, including designer bags from Gucci and Chanel, two gym outfits from an Italian high-end brand, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes and two pairs of diamond earrings as well as a bracelet, two Hermes bracelets and a Mini Cooper car which she said she had returned.

The conman was arrested by the Delhi police in April 2017 in a bribery case. While he was in prison, Chandrasekhar spoofed calls to dupe people by impersonating senior officials and hence he was able to extort more than INR 2 billion while being jailed.

Fernandez won the Miss Universe pageant in 2006 and debuted as an actor with the Indian film Aladin. Since then she has starred in films such as Housefull 2, Murder 2 and Netflix films Drive and Mrs. Serial Killer. Her most recent work is with Kiccha Sudeep in Vikrant Rona.

She will be next seen in Ram Setu alongside Akshay Kumar and Nushrat Bharucha, and Cirkus with Ranveer Singh, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and more.

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 25, 2022 02:23pm
As you sow, so shall you reap.
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Sayena Aug 25, 2022 02:45pm
Liar! She earned more money in India than the whole GDP of Sri Lanka!
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M. Emad Aug 25, 2022 03:05pm
Sri Lankan actress.
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AZMAT ALI SHAH Aug 25, 2022 03:26pm
“What she has lost and suffered as a woman cannot be calculated in monetary terms”. What exactly is she playing at ?
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Syed Hasni Aug 25, 2022 03:46pm
If she was forced to do anything else by conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar except money laundering Nation would be very upset.
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Syed Ahmed Aug 25, 2022 03:50pm
How many movies she work in sri Lanka ?
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NYS Aug 25, 2022 04:13pm
Hello comment section????
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NYS Aug 25, 2022 04:18pm
Simply Pakistani Ayan Ali Synonym
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Pan Cheng Aug 25, 2022 04:23pm
@Sayena So what is your point? she earned! did not rob. you seems to have problem with her earnings!
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Multani Aug 25, 2022 04:30pm
She associated with con man ,rule of law will eventually catch-up, why complain.
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Leo Aug 25, 2022 04:58pm
@Sayena haha good one!
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Leo Aug 25, 2022 04:59pm
@AZMAT ALI SHAH Your guess is as good as mine!
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Bunny Aug 25, 2022 05:57pm
she should muster whatever dignity is left by quitely silently accepting her mistakes. these blame games never help.
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Imran khan (Mardan) KPK Aug 25, 2022 06:08pm
@Sayena and still 70% Indians live in slums and 90% without toilets ?
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Ali Sabir Aug 25, 2022 06:29pm
... Forced to accept gifts. Right. I'll believe you. Thousands wouldn't.
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Multani Aug 25, 2022 07:46pm
It is so difficult for her to refuse gifts, expensive gifts are hard to come by, she must do some free time in jail
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TPA Aug 25, 2022 08:53pm
Anything for a price
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Nadeem Shah Aug 25, 2022 10:21pm
Conman Indian ....nothing surprising here
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Dr Dummy Aug 26, 2022 12:35am
"lost and suffered" -- Did you exchange anything for the gifts?
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Leo Aug 26, 2022 01:32am
@Nadeem Shah yes, all Pakistanis are free of any corruption.
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Zak Aug 26, 2022 02:50am
@M. Emad Sri Lankan actress. They are far prettier.
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Anonymouseee Aug 26, 2022 07:40am
“Forced to accept gifts”. Now that’s a new one.
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Anonymouseee Aug 26, 2022 07:41am
@M. Emad Indian actress.
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