Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez faces continued legal challenges in the high-profile ₹200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
On July 3, 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed her petition seeking to quash the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case and the supplementary chargesheet that named her as an accused.
Jacqueline Fernandez has consistently maintained that she is an “innocent victim” who was manipulated by Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
In her plea, she argued that she had no knowledge of the illicit origin of the expensive gifts she received, which reportedly included luxury items such as a horse worth ₹52 lakh, Persian cats, diamond jewelry, and chartered flights.
Her legal team contended that there is no evidence to show she knowingly accepted proceeds of crime or aided Sukesh in laundering money.
The ED, however, alleges that Jacqueline Fernandez continued to accept luxury gifts from Sukesh even after learning about his criminal background, and that this constitutes a violation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency insists that the ongoing trial is justified, as a special court has already taken cognisance of the charges and found a prima facie case against her.
During court proceedings, a key question raised was whether an adult is responsible for verifying the source of expensive gifts they receive.
Jacqueline Fernandez’s lawyers argued that mere oversight does not amount to criminal liability and that her celebrity status should not make her automatically culpable.
With the High Court’s rejection of her plea, ED’s proceedings against Jacqueline Fernandez will continue, and the case remains under trial in the lower court.
