Jacqueline Fernandez leaves EOW office post 7-hrs of questioning in Rs 200 cr PMLA case

After seven hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, actor Jacqueline Fernandez left the office of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Monday, September 19. This was the second time Jacqueline was called in by the EOW, for a confrontation with her designer.

However, the designer, identified as Lipakshi did not turn up, with her lawyers citing 'ill-health' as the reason. She has been summoned again after two days, i.e., on September 21. Investigations have revealed that to impress Jacqueline, Chandrashekhar had given a huge amount to Lipakshi. 

What had happened in the first round?

In the first round of questioning that lasted for over 8 hours, on September 15, Jacqueline was confronted with her manager Prashant Patil, who had got a Ducati bike worth Rs 8 lakh from Chandrashekhar as a gift on his birthday. The personal assistant claimed that he had tried to turn the gift down but the conman left the bike and keys with him. The purpose of the gift was to 'win over Jacqueline'.

On the same day, Jacqueline was also confronted with Pink Irani, the woman who allegedly introduced her to Chandrashekhar. Both Irani and Jacqueline were interrogated individually before the confrontation, in which the EOW had found discrepancies in the statements.

As per sources in the EOW, the Housefull actress in round 1 & 2 has cooperated with the officials, and will be called for a third round of questioning. The date has however not been fixed. 

Sukesh Chandrashekhar case & Bollywood actors 

Chandrashekhar was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in August for carrying out a Rs 200 crore con. In the chargesheet filed thereafter, he along with his wife Leena Maria Paul and 12 others were named for duping one Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Ranbaxy, Malvinder Mohan Singh. He and his associates swindled money from Aditi Singh by posing as officials from the Union Law Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office and on the pretext of bail for her husband.

Now, the investigators suspect Chandrashekhar was running the extortion racket to splurge the ill-gotten money on gifts and give money to individuals who have been identified during probes. Chandrashekhar has admitted that he had given expensive gifts to several actors including Jacqueline, Nora Fatehi, and others.