March 14, 2025 03:38 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
In a setback for Donald Trump, US judge orders federal agencies to rehire fired workers: Report | 'We will thwart conspiracies hatched by Centre': Revanth Reddy on delimitation exercise | Chennai doctor, his wife along with two sons die by suicide due to huge debt: Cops | Amid language debate, Tamil Nadu drops rupee symbol in state budget | Scientist killed in assault by neighbour over parking argument in Mohali | British woman tourist raped in Delhi hotel by man she befriended on social media | Gold smuggling case: Court restrains media from publishing, telecasting defamatory statements against Ranya Rao | Trump warns Putin of 'devastating' financial impacts if Russia blocks Ukraine ceasefire | 'People are going to Russia right now as we speak: Donald Trump on Ukraine war ceasefire talks | Pakistani army claims to have freed all hostages in passenger train siege; 28 personnel killed
Jacqueline Fernandez

Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar spoofed Home Minister Amit Shah's number to befriend Jacqueline Fernandez: ED

| @indiablooms | Dec 14, 2021, at 06:56 pm

New Delhi/IBNS: The Enforcement Directorate has said in its chargesheet that alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar replicated Union home minister Amit Shah's office phone number to make a "spoofed" call to befriend Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez while claiming his links with late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha's "political family".

The agency filed the chargesheet earlier this month under anti-money laundering law before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court and named Chandrashekhar, his wife Leena Maria Paul, and six others in it.

"He (Chandrashekhar) was trying to get in touch with her (Fernandez) over many weeks in December (2020) and January, 2021 but she did not respond to him as she got many calls as such and was not sure about who the person was," the agency said, reported NDTV.

"Her makeup artist Shaan Muthathil was then contacted by a government office and was told that Jacqueline Fernandez must get in touch with Shekhaar as he is an important person and would like to speak to her," the agency said.

Fernandez told the agency that Chandrashekhar introduced himself to her as one "Shekhaar Ratna Vela".

She recorded her statement with the ED twice in 2021.

Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan national who has acted in a number of Bollywood movies. She later contacted Chandrashekhar who told her that he was the owner of Sun TV along with his family.

Chandrashekhar said he was a big fan of Fernandes and she should act in Southern films and as Sun TV they have many projects lined up, the agency said.

The agency said her makeup artist "got a call from the office of Home Minister Amit Shah whereby he was asked to get in touch with Shekhaar alias Sukesh Chandrashekhar as he was a very important person in government".

"The said call was made from the office of Home Minister Amit Shah which was a spoofed call as per investigation and made by the accused Sukesh Chandrashekhar," the agency said.

The agency said her makeup artist shared Chandrashekhar's mobile number with Fernandez after which they got in touch.

The actor told the federal anti-money laundering agency that she "received" several gifts, including three designer bags from Gucci and Chanel, two Gucci gym wear outfits, a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones and two Hermes bracelets.

She told ED that she returned a Mini Cooper car which she had similarly received.

ED found while investigating that Chandrashekhar was in "regular contact" with Fernandez since February till he got arrested on August 7 this year (by the Delhi Police).

ED has claimed, in a statement, that Chandrashekhar is a "known conman" and is being probed by the Delhi Police in a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and extortion to the tune of about Rs 200 crore.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.