"My Son Appeared...," Supreme Court Judge On Recusing From Jacqueline Fernandez's plea

Supreme Court judge Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra has recused himself from hearing Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez's plea against a Delhi court order framing of charges against her in a Rs 200-crore money laundering case.

"There is some difficulty. In one of the connected matters, my son had appeared on the government side. Post (this matter) on June 25 before a bench in which one of us is not a member," Justice Mishra said.

A partial working day bench comprising Justices Mishra and Atul S Chandurkar, apprised the counsel and the Enforcement Directorate that the matter would be referred to some other bench.

Fernandes moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi court's order dated May 30, ordered framing of charges against the actor, alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and 15 others in a Rs 200-crore money laundering case.

Recently, a Delhi court had granted time to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response to a plea moved by actor Jacqueline Fernandez seeking to turn approver in the ₹200 crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Fernandez, who was repeatedly summoned by the ED during the course of investigation, was named as an accused for the first time in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the agency. She is currently seeking to be treated as an approver in the case, a move that could potentially alter her position from an accused to a prosecution witness.

The case stems from allegations that Chandrasekhar orchestrated a ₹200 crore fraud involving high-profile individuals, including the spouses of former Ranbaxy promoters. The Delhi Police had registered the case, accusing Chandrasekhar of duping Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh’s family members.

Chandrasekhar and his wife, Leena Paulose, were subsequently arrested along with others. Investigators have alleged that the accused used hawala channels and created shell companies to launder proceeds of crime. The police also invoked stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in the case, citing the organised nature of the alleged offences.

The legal battle has already seen multiple rounds of litigation. On July 3 last year, the Delhi High Court dismissed Fernandez’s plea seeking quashing of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), holding that her apprehensions regarding self-incrimination could not justify quashing proceedings at the threshold.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court of India declined to interfere with the High Court’s decision, granting her liberty to raise all permissible grounds at an appropriate stage.

Case Title: JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ Vs DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

Hearing Date: June 11, 2026

Bench: Justices PK Mishra and AS Chandurkar