Fernandez, who was summoned by the ED several times in connection with the investigation, was named as an accused for the first time in the supplementary charge sheet

A Delhi court on Tuesday sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by actress Jacqueline Fernandez seeking permission to travel abroad.

Additional sessions judge Shailendra Malik sought the agency’s reply and posted the matter for December 22.

The actress has sought permission to travel to Bahrain for meeting her family members on December 23.

The actress, a Sri Lankan national, has been barred from leaving the country after she was named in the charge sheet as one of the accused by the ED in connection with an ongoing money laundering case in which conman Sukesh is the prime accused.

Meanwhile, the court would hear the arguments on the charge on behalf of Chandrashekhar on January 6.

The judge had on August 31 taken cognizance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by ED and asked Fernandez to appear before the court, following which the actress, on Dec 12 arrived at the Patiala House court in the national capital in connection with the ₹200 crores money laundering case involving Chandrashekhar.

The ED has said that the actress consciously chose to overlook the criminal past of conman Sukesh for her lure of money, adding that she was directly-indirectly involved in the ₹200 crore scam of duping Aditi Singh, wife of ex-Fortis promoter Shivinder Singh.

According to the ED, during the investigation, they found both Sukesh and Fernandez were in collusion with each other and tried to support each other during the course of the confrontation with the evidence.

Fernandez, who was summoned by the ED several times in connection with the investigation, was named as an accused for the first time in the supplementary charge sheet.

The ED’s earlier charge sheet and supplementary charge sheet did not mention her as an accused. The documents, however, mentioned the details of the statements recorded by Fernandez and fellow actor Nora Fatehi.

Both Fernandez and Fatehi were questioned by the ED over the last few months in connection with the ₹200 crore extortion case connected to Chandrasekhar.

Meanwhile, on December 12, Fatehi filed a defamation lawsuit against Fernandez and a few media organisations for allegedly ‘trying to tarnish her reputation’ and causing her loss of work in the industry. A Delhi court is likely to hear the matter on January 21

The Delhi Police Economic Offence Wing (EOW) filed a chargesheet naming 14 accused including Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, his Wife Leena Maria Paul and others in 2021.

According to the EOW, Leena, Sukesh with others used Hawala routes, creating Shell companies to park the money earned from proceeds of crime. Both Chandrasekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul were arrested by the Delhi Police in September last year.