Actor Nora Fatehi files defamation suit against Jacqueline Fernandez

Actor Nora Fatehi on Monday filed a criminal complaint against Jacqueline Fernandez before a Delhi court for allegedly defaming her by “unfairly dragging” her name into a Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged 'conman' Sukesh Chandrashekar, her lawyer said.

Fatehi, a Canadian citizen, also arrayed 15 media organisations as accused in her complaint, which is likely to come up for hearing on December 19, advocate Vikram Chauhan said.

“The complainant has a pristine reputation apart from a rapidly progressing career which has quite obviously threatened her rivals who are unable to compete with her on fair footing,” the complaint said.

The defamatory statement was made by Fernandez in “bad faith” and with “mala fide intention” and was circulated by the media houses made accused in the complaint with an intent to defame her, the counsel said.

The complaint claimed the allegations made by Fernandez, also a Bollywood actor, that Fatehi had received gifts from Chandrashekhar were wrong.

“The only time the complainant spoke to Chandrashekhar was when his wife, Leena Maria Paul, made her speak to him over speakerphone at the event in Chennai where the complainant was invited by Leena. At the event, the complainant was gifted an iPhone and a Gucci bag by Leena. No gifts were ever received by the complainant from Chandrashekhar,” Fatehi has said in the complaint.

Fatehi also denied she had received a luxury car from Chandrashekhar and said it was part payment to her brother-in-law Bobby Khan, who Chandrashekhar had approached for directing a movie.

“Since the complainant had never even spoken to Chandrashekhar let alone having met him, hence the imputation made by the Fernandez and the subsequent publishing of the same by the accused media houses are untrue,” the complaint said.

Earlier on Modnay, a court in Delhi adjourned for December 20 the hearing against Fernandez and Chandrashekhar in the money laundering case.

Fernandez appeared before the court during the brief hearing.

The court had on November 15 granted regular bail to Fernandez, who has never been arrested in the case.

The court had on August 31 taken cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate and asked Fernandez to appear before it.

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