₹200 cr extortion case: Actor Nora Fatehi files defamation case against Jacqueline Fernandez

Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi has slapped defamation charges against actor Jacqueline Fernandez and 15 media houses, accusing them of circulating false remarks against her in the ₹200 crore extortion case linked to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

In her petition, in which Jacqueline has been named accused No.1, Nora alleged that her fellow actor had “hatched” and “enacted” a conspiracy against her to ensure her “financial, social and financial downfall.”

“Her rapidly progressing career quite obviously had threatened her rivals who are unable to compete with her on a fair footing,” Nora alleged.

“It has started to become evident that the aforementioned rivals being unable to compete with the complainant fairly in the industry have started to try and tarnish her reputation which would cause her loss of work and hence would open up greener pastures for her rivals in the industry,” the petition said.

Nora is being questioned in the extortion case, which is being probed by central agencies. Jacqueline has been named as an accused by the Enforcement Directorate in its supplementary chargesheet filed in the case along with Sukesh, after being found to have received several expensive gifts from him.

In a plea before the Appellate Authority of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Jacqueline had said that not just her several other celebrities like Nora Fatehi had received gifts from Sukesh, while questioning why she alone was being named an accused.

During interrogation on September 13, and October 14, 2021 Nora had said that she had performed at a charity event at a five-star hotel in Chennai in December 2000 and was gifted a Gucci Bag and an iPhone by Sukesh’s wife Leena Paulose. She said Leena put her on the phone to speak to Sukesh and the latter thanked her, said they were her fans and said they will gift her a new BMW car.

Nora said the the car was given to her brother-in-law who sold it in February 2021 due to “some financial issues.” “I did not receive anything else besides the items mentioned above (Gucci bag and mobile phone). Also, the BMW was not given to me, it was given to Bobby (cousin’s husband) instead,” she told the agency. Asked if she purchased any bag from a Mumbai mall, the payment for which was “arranged” by Sukesh, the dancer denied the charge and said in her statement: “No HELL No.”

“The reputation of any person in the film industry is an asset and any denting in the same would cause a huge and irreparable damage to their career. All the accused herein are acutely aware of this and this establishes that the defamation done by them is with mala fide intentions,” she said in her petition.

Nora, 30, has been questioned by the federal agency in the case a few times in the past. The Canadian-born artiste came to India about seven to eight years ago to work in the Hindi film industry. Sources said the actor, who featured in popular Bollywood dance numbers such as “Naach Meri Rani” and “Kamariya”, will be questioned about some more issues related to Chandrashekhar. Her statement is being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). She is understood to be being questioned on some new facts that have emerged in the case.

Nora’s statements have been included in the same prosecution complaint where Jacqueline has been named as an accused.

The agency has alleged that Sukesh, 32, used illegal money to purchase gifts for Jacqueline which he had extorted by cheating high-profile people including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh to the tune of about ₹200 crore. Sukesh and his wife Paul were arrested by the ED.  The ED had said in a statement that Sukesh 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 ₹200 crore.

“Chandrasekhar is the mastermind of this fraud. He has been part of the crime world since the age of 17. He has multiple FIRs against him…,” the ED had said. Despite being in jail, it said, Sukesh “did not stop conning” people. “He (using a cellphone procured illegally in prison) with the help of technology made spoofed calls to dupe people as the numbers displayed on the called party’s phone number belonged to senior government officers. “While speaking (from prison) to these persons, he claimed to be a government officer offering to help people for a price,” the ED had claimed.

(With inputs from agencies)