The actor has asked the court for permission to become an approver, meaning she is willing to assist the investigation by providing full details of the case.
The matter was heard on Friday at the Patiala House Court, where Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court has now scheduled the next hearing for April 20, at which further arguments will be heard.
The case revolves around serious allegations against Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who is accused of cheating a businesswoman out of nearly ₹200 crore. According to investigators, he pretended to be a senior government official connected to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Home Ministry. Using this false identity, he reportedly gained the trust of entrepreneur Aditi Singh and carried out the fraud over several months.
Jacqueline Fernandez’s name came up during the investigation when the ED claimed she received expensive gifts from Chandrasekhar. These alleged gifts became a key point in the money laundering case. However, the actor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In her plea, Jacqueline Fernandez stated that she did not know the illegal background of the gifts or of Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s activities. She has maintained that she was misled, just as others involved in the case were. According to her, Chandrasekhar used similar tricks to approach her as well, including fake calls made in the name of top government officials. She claims that he contacted her through her makeup artist using this method.
The actor also told the court that she has cooperated fully with the investigation from the beginning. She appeared before the ED five times and recorded her statements in accordance with the relevant legal provisions. She emphasized that she has always been ready to assist authorities and has nothing to hide.
It is important to note that when the ED first filed its prosecution complaint in December 2021, Jacqueline Fernandez was not listed as an accused. Her name was added later, in August 2022, when the agency filed a supplementary complaint in the case.
Earlier, Jacqueline Fernandez had also approached the Delhi High Court, seeking to have the case against her dismissed. However, her plea was rejected in July last year, allowing the investigation and legal proceedings to continue.
Now, by requesting to be made an approver, Jacqueline Fernandez is taking a new legal step. If the court accepts her plea, she may become an official witness for the prosecution and provide key information about the case. This move could play an important role in how the case unfolds in the coming weeks.
The next hearing on April 20 is expected to bring more clarity on whether the court will accept her request and how it may impact the overall investigation.
