NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has rejected Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s plea seeking the quashing of an Enforcement Case Information Report filed against her in connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
In a detailed 95-page order passed on July 3, Justice Anish Dayal dismissed Fernandez’s argument that the Enforcement Directorate followed a “pick and choose” approach by acting against her while sparing other actors who had also allegedly received gifts from Chandrasekhar.
Fernandez cited the example of television actors Nikki Tamboli, Chahatt Khanna, and Sophia Singh, who she claimed were not proceeded against despite similar interactions and gifts from the accused. She also mentioned a relative of actor Nora Fatehi, who allegedly received a luxury car from Chandrasekhar.
However, the court ruled that the principle of parity, which may apply during bail hearings, cannot be invoked to quash an FIR or ECIR, as it would result in erasing the criminal complaint altogether.
“Whether the investigating agency chose a pick and choose policy or decided not to proceed against others… is not an issue under consideration before this court,” the order stated, adding that the petitioner is free to raise such contentions at the appropriate stage of trial.
The ED opposed the petition, stating that Fernandez did not deny receiving gifts from Chandrasekhar worth over Rs 7.12 crore, and items worth Rs 1.12 crore were also sent to her sister in Sri Lanka. These were alleged to be proceeds of crime, making her liable under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
