Alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar had played with “my emotions and “made my life hell,” Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has told Delhi’s Patiala House Courts in a statement, media reports claimed.
Fernandez, in the statement, said Chandrashekhar had introduced himself as the owner of Sun TV and claimed (late Tamil Nadu chief minister) J Jayalalithaa was his aunt. “Chandrashekhar said he was a big fan, and said I should do films in south India too, and as the owner of Sun TV, they had many projects lined up. We should try to work together in south Indian movies… Sukesh misled me, ruined my career and my livelihood,” Fernandez said.
The actor said she only later came to know that Chandrashekhar was arrested for impersonating senior officials of the home and the law ministries, adding that she got to know his real name only after she got aware of his criminal background. “Pinky Irani was aware of Chandrashekhar’s activity and background. But she never disclosed this to me,” Fernandez claimed in the statement.
Irani had introduced him to Fernandez and was instrumental in disposing of the ₹200 crore extorted by him, the Delhi police told additional sessions judge Shailendra Malik recently.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi police made the allegations in a supplementary charge sheet filed before Malik. Fernandez, not named as accused in the case yet, also appeared before the court. She is an accused in the money laundering probe related to the alleged scam.
The charge sheet alleged Irani used to portray Chandrashekhar as a business tycoon and was instrumental in facilitating his meetings with certain Bollywood personalities. The fresh supplementary report also said the police had recorded the statements of several people including Bollywood actors Fernandez and Nora Fatehi.
Mumbai-based Irani was arrested by the EOW of Delhi Police in November 2022. Chandrashekhar, who is currently in jail, is accused of cheating many people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh.
