Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi was questioned for six hours by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police on Friday in connection with the Rs 200-crore extortion case, involving conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
According to EOW officials, Fatehi appeared before it around 12 in the afternoon. She was questioned till 6 pm. The official said that Fatehi can be summoned for questioning once again if it feels that her statement is required.
Earlier, the EOW had also summoned Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez for questioning on September 12. Fernandez had earlier skipped the EOW summons, a source said.
The case pertains to extortion of over Rs 215 crore from Aditi Singh and Shivender Singh, former promoters of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy. The ED registered a case of money laundering on the basis of the EOW FIR. The ED had also questioned Fatehi and Fernandez on several occasions.
Earlier this month, the ED named Fernandez in its supplementary charge sheet as an accused. The ED in its charge sheet had alleged that Fernandez, a Sri Lankan national, continued her relationship with Chandrasekhar despite knowing about his criminal past.
“She (Fernandez) consciously chose to overlook Chandrashekhar’s criminal past and continued to indulge in financial transactions with him. Not only Fernandes but even her family members and friends benefitted from their relationship financially,” the ED alleged in its charge sheet.
The ED also claimed that the money laundering probe so far has revealed that the actor is directly or indirectly involved in the proceeds of crime.
The ED alleged that she acquired, possessed, and used part proceeds of crime — valuable gifts for herself and her family members in India and abroad, and therefore, she committed an offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002, which is punishable under Section 4 of PMLA.
The ED had earlier attached assets worth Rs 7 crore of Fernandez in connection with its money laundering probe on April 30 this year.