Actor Jacqueline Fernandez was briefly detained at Mumbai airport on Sunday and prevented from travelling abroad on a pending lookout circular against her issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case.
Fernandez, who has been allowed to go home, has been questioned several times in the past six months by the ED in connection with a case linked to the alleged money-laundering of Rs 200 crore by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar.
According to the ED probe, Chandrashekar transferred ‘proceeds of crime’ to Fernandez and her siblings. Some of the alleged money extorted by the conman, who is in Tihar jail, was laundered in Dubai bank accounts of Fernandez, according to ED’s chargesheet.
The chargesheet in the case was filed on Saturday and mentioned alleged links of Fernandez with the conman. Before being released by ED on Sunday, the actress was asked to remain in the country and present herself for further investigation.
Fernandez had skipped summons at least thrice earlier. In August, when she had first recorded her statements she refused to accept that she had any financial links with the Chandrashekar. She may soon be confronted with Chandrashekhar and his actor-wife Leena Maria Paul, who is also behind bars. Actor Nora Fatehi was also questioned recently in the same case.
Surjitt Sahani
