Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Thursday withdrew her petition from the Supreme Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. The top court permitted the withdrawal with liberty to approach the trial court, as sought by her counsel.
Supreme Court allows withdrawal
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia allowed Fernandez to withdraw the plea after her lawyer submitted that she wanted to move the trial court for appropriate relief. The court did not impose any costs and granted the liberty requested.
Fernandez had approached the Supreme Court challenging the summons issued to her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case. The ED had summoned her multiple times for questioning in connection with the probe.
Case background
The case stems from an alleged Rs 200 crore extortion racket masterminded by Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is currently in jail. Fernandez was questioned by the ED in connection with gifts and luxury items she allegedly received from Chandrashekhar. The actor has maintained that she was a victim of the conman's deceit.
In her petition, Fernandez had sought quashing of the ED summons, arguing that she was being harassed. However, with the withdrawal, she will now have to appear before the trial court as per its directions.
Legal implications
Legal experts say the withdrawal allows Fernandez to seek remedies at the lower court, which may provide more flexibility in her defense. The ED has opposed any leniency, citing the seriousness of the charges.
The matter is now set to proceed in the trial court, where Fernandez will have to comply with summons and cooperate with the investigation. The case continues to attract significant media attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused.
