Case against Sukesh Chandrashekhar: Cops quiz Jacqueline Fernandez for 8 hours

Police had also summoned Pinky Irani, a common friend of Sukesh and Fernandez, to join the probe. “She allegedly helped Sukesh contact Fernandez. She is known to both of them. They were confronted during questioning to get more clarity in the case,” a senior police officer said.

Pinky Irani who introduced Jacqueline Fernandez to Sukesh Chandrashekhar, arrives in Economic Offences Wing in a multi-crore money laundering case, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

“Sukesh had given various gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to Jacqueline from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities including extortion. Sukesh through his friend Pinky delivered all gifts to Jacqueline,” claimed the officer.

Police said Fernandez was asked to join the probe Monday, but she requested to postpone her questioning as she has some pre-scheduled shoots. It was the second time she had requested to defer her questioning. “We prepared a questionnaire of around 55 questions and asked how she came in contact with Sukesh, why she took gifts from him and if she was aware about his criminal background,” said another senior police officer.

Police sources said: “She reached at 11.20 am. Around 1.30 pm, she had lunch in the police canteen. There was some contradictions in their (Fernandez and Pinky) statements and they were confronted. Her questioning ended at 7.30 pm and she came out at 7.45 pm with her advocate.”

In its supplementary chargesheet filed on August 17, the Enforcement Directorate claimed that Jacqueline had received gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore from Chandrashekhar, but is “trying to justify herself that she was in fact the victim of manipulative actions by Sukesh against her”.