A local court in the national capital on Thursday dismissed the petition filed by Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, seeking permission to travel abroad, after the actor withdrew the same.
Additional Sessions Judge Shailendra Malik at Patiala House Court told the actor that she can either withdraw the application and let the question of charge first be decided, or the Court would pass a judicial order.
Jacqueline has been named as an accused in the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
She had moved the Patiala House Court seeking permission to travel to her birthplace Bahrain and meet her mother, who was dealing with several medical issues. She sought permission to travel between December 23 to January 5.
Representing Jacqueline, Senior Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal contended that the arguments in the case were scheduled for January 5 and the actor would return to India before this date. Jacqueline further said that she would not miss a single day hearing in the court.
On January 6, accused 1 (Sukesh Chandrashekhar) would argue for his case and Jacqueline’s turn would come later, he added.
The Counsel appearing for the ED opposed her plea and argued that the proceedings in the main case were at a crucial stage and being a foreign national, if Jacqueline was allowed to travel, she may flee the country.
The Counsel further said that Jacqueline was born and brought up in Bahrain. She belonged to a multiracial family of Sri Lankan, Malaysian and Canadian descent and was likely to escape the investigation, if allowed to fly abroad, he added.
Jacqueline has been under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate over her alleged ties with conman Chandrashekhar. The actor even had a look-out circular issued against her.
The Enforcement Directorate had attached the assets of the actor worth Rs 7.27 crore, including Rs 7.12 crore of fixed deposits.
As per reports, Sukesh had presented Jacqueline with gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore using his criminal proceeds. It was further reported that Chandrashekhar had also given money and gifts to her family members.
Sukesh was detained by the national agency for extorting a whopping amount of Rs 215 crore from a Delhi-based businessman’s wife, by impersonating as a Central government officer.
He was also charged in a five-year-old cheating case involving Tamil Nadu MLA T.T.V. Dhinakaran.