A Delhi court on Monday granted additional time to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response to a plea filed by actor Jacqueline Fernandez seeking to turn approver in the ₹200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The matter has now been adjourned to May 8 for further hearing.
The proceedings took place before Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma at the Patiala House Court, where the ED requested more time to respond to Fernandez’s application. Accepting the request, the court deferred the hearing and scheduled the next date for May 8.
Fernandez, who has been named as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED, has moved the court seeking to become an approver in the case. If accepted, this legal shift could change her status from an accused to a prosecution witness, potentially altering the course of the trial.
The case originates from allegations that Sukesh Chandrasekhar orchestrated a large-scale ₹200 crore extortion and money laundering racket involving high-profile individuals, including members linked to prominent business families. Investigating agencies allege that the proceeds of crime were routed through hawala channels and layered using shell companies to conceal their origin.
Chandrasekhar and his wife, Leena Maria Paul, were arrested along with several others in connection with the case. Authorities have also invoked stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), citing the organised nature of the alleged operations.
Fernandez has earlier faced multiple summons from the ED during the investigation. In her legal submissions, she has claimed she is an “innocent victim” and argued that she was misled into believing Chandrasekhar was a legitimate businessman. She has also pointed out that she was initially cited as a witness in the predicate offence, strengthening her argument for relief.
The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed her plea seeking quashing of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), while the Supreme Court allowed her to raise her arguments at the appropriate stage. The legal proceedings have since continued across multiple courts, with several rounds of hearings already completed.
Meanwhile, the broader case involving Sukesh Chandrasekhar has seen multiple developments, including bail orders and ongoing trials related to alleged fraud, extortion, and organised financial crimes. Chandrasekhar continues to face numerous criminal cases across jurisdictions.
With the ED now expected to submit its response by the next hearing date, the court will further examine whether Jacqueline Fernandez can be granted approver status in one of the most closely watched financial crime cases in recent years.
