Court Seeks Probe Agency Reply On Actor Jacqueline Fernandez' Bahrain Trip

A Delhi court today sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to a plea by Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, accused in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case also involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, seeking permission to travel to Bahrain to visit her mother.

Special Judge Shailendra Malik issued notice to the anti-money laundering probe agency returnable by December 22 when it will hear the fresh plea of Fernandez who wants to visit Bahrain from December 23 to January 5.

Fernandez, who appeared before the special court on Tuesday, was earlier permitted by the Delhi High Court on May 31 this year to travel abroad for the IIFA awards subject to certain conditions.

The high court had then rejected the ED's appeal against a trial court order permitting her to visit abroad.

The hearing in the main money laundering case has now been adjourned to January 6.

During the hearing, the court on Tuesday directed the ED to take possession of 26 cars linked to Sukesh and his actor wife Leena Maria. The agency alleged in the court that the vehicles were purchased from the proceeds of crime.

Sukesh was also produced before the court from jail.

The court had on November 15 granted regular bail to the actress who has not been arrested in the case yet.

It had on August 31 taken cognizance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate and asked Fernandez to appear before the court.

Fernandez, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate several times in connection with the investigation, was named as an accused for the first time in the supplementary charge sheet.

The ED's earlier charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet did not mention her as an accused. 

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