Actor Jacqueline Fernandez was questioned by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police today in connection with a Rs 200 crore extortion case linked to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
Jacqueline Fernandez arrived at the Mandir Marg office of the Economic Offences Wing in Delhi at around 11.30 am.
Pinky Irani, who allegedly introduced the actor to Sukesh, was also summoned by the EOW to join the investigation today. Sources say Ms Fernandez could be confronted with Ms Irani during the questioning to get more clarity in the case.
The Delhi police have prepared a long list of questions for the actor regarding her alleged relationship with Sukesh, and the gifts she received from him, officials said.
Officials said Ms Fernandez's questioning might continue over the next couple of days, and they have asked her to plan her stay in the national capital accordingly.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the money trail in the Rs 200 crore extortion case against the conman, named Jacqueline Fernandez an accused last month in its chargesheet.
The probe agency claimed that Ms Fernandez knew about Sukesh's involvement in criminal cases and that he was married, but she chose to overlook the facts and indulged in financial transactions with him.
"Jacqueline Fernandez was well aware about the criminal antecedents of Sukesh Chandrashekhar and also the fact that Leena Maria Paul is his wife in February 2021," the chargesheet says.
The ED also said that Ms Fernandez had used "proceeds of crime and valuable gifts" (received from the conman) for herself and her family members in India as well as abroad, which amounts to the offence of money laundering.
When Jacqueline Fernandez was questioned along with the conman by the ED, she had admitted to receiving 20 pieces of jewellery, 65 pairs of shoes, 47 dresses, 32 bags, 4 Hermes bags, nine paintings and one Versace crockery set as gifts from the conman, according to the chargesheet.
The chargesheet says Chandrashekhar gave Rs 7.12 crore to the actor - Rs 1.26 crore to her sister in the US, Rs 15 lakh to her brother in Australia and gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore. Sukesh Chandrashekhar also gifted two cars to the parents of Jacqueline Fernandez in April 2021, the agency said.
Ms Fernandez has also been accused of "tampering" with the evidence, as the ED claimed that she "wiped her phone clean" after she learnt the conman was arrested.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar was arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly extorting around Rs 215 crore from Aditi Singh and Shivender Singh, former promoters of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy.
Probe Agency Goes To Court With Fresh Charges Against Farooq Abdullah In Money Laundering Case G.O.A.Ts: Jacqueline Fernandez And Neil Nitin Mukesh Set To Appear In “War Of Music And Dance” AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan Says Probe Agency Team Is At His House To Arrest Him 9 Dead, 2,800 Hurt As Pagers Explode Across Lebanon, Hezbollah Blames Israel IndiGo Flight Tailstrike Leaves Huge Dent During Take-Off From Delhi Airport Highlights: Arvind Kejriwal Resigns, Atishi To Be Delhi Chief Minister Kamala Harris Dials Trump After Apparent Assassination Attempt Ghislaine Maxwell's Sex-Trafficking Conviction Upheld, Appeal Planned Stage Set For Phase 1 Of J&K Elections Today, 24 Seats Up For Contest Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.