Jacqueline Fernandez Withdraws SC Plea in ₹200-Cr Money Laundering Case!

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has been granted permission by the Supreme Court to withdraw her petition challenging a Delhi court order that framed charges against her in the high-profile ₹200-crore money laundering case. This decision allows Fernandez the liberty to pursue available legal remedies directly before the trial court.

The case involves alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, and Fernandez had approached the apex court to contest a May 30 order by additional sessions judge Prashant Sharma. This order had determined that a prima facie case of money laundering was established against her and other accused individuals.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order on Thursday, accepting the submission from Fernandez’s counsel, Manail Singhal, that the actor wished to withdraw her petition. The court clarified that she is now free to explore other legal avenues.

Earlier in the proceedings, another bench, headed by Justice PK Mishra, had recused itself from the case. This recusal occurred because Justice Mishra's son had represented the government in related proceedings, citing a potential conflict of interest.

Following the trial court's order, charges were formally framed against Chandrashekhar, Fernandez, and other co-accused on June 3, marking the official commencement of the trial. The charges were levied under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which carries penalties under Section 4 of the Act. Previously, the Supreme Court had also declined to quash the money laundering proceedings against Fernandez in connection with the alleged extortion racket.

#JacquelineFernandez #MoneyLaundering #SupremeCourt #PMLACase