ED stops actor Jacqueline from flying abroad

New Delhi: The ED on Sunday stopped actor Jacqueline Fernandez at the Mumbai airport preventing her from flying abroad, stating that she may be required to join an ongoing money laundering investigation against alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others, officials said. The 36-year-old actor was first stopped by the immigration authorities at the airport on the basis of a Look Out Circular (LoC) issued by the federal probe agency, they said.

Agency sleuths then reached the Mumbai airport and disallowed her travel, asking her to remain in the country as she may be required to join the probe, they added.

It is understood that she was either travelling to Dubai or Muscat and after she was stopped, she left the airport around 6 pm.

The Sri Lankan-origin actor was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in multiple sessions in connection with the over Rs 200 crore money laundering case being probed against Chandrashekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul.

The agency on Saturday filed a charge sheet before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in this case and named Chandrashekhar, his wife and six others in it.

It had alleged in the charge sheet that Chandrashekhar had gifted the actor numerous costly gifts, including some Persian cats and a horse. He is accused of cheating some people, including some high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.

Another Bollywood actor-dancer Nora Fatehi has also been grilled by the ED in this case

Investigation found that Chandrashekhar was lodged in the Rohini jail here when he allegedly ran an extortion racket using phone spoofing technology.

The ED had arrested the couple and two co-accused, Pradeep Ramnani and Deepak Ramnani, in this case.