Actor Nora Fatehi files defamation complaint against Jacqueline Fernandez before Delhi court
New Delhi, Dec 12: 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 '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 today, a court here 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.
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Pune accident: Porsche car's registration was pending since March due to non-payment of Rs 1,758 fee
Mumbai, May 21: The permanent registration of the luxury Porsche car involved in the accident in which two IT professionals were fatally knocked down by in Pune city was pending since March due to non-payment of Rs 1,758 fees by the owner, top officials of the Maharashtra transport department said on Tuesday.
The electric luxury sports sedan - Porsche Taycan - was being driven allegedly by a prominent builder's 17-year-old son, who the police claim was drunk at the time of the accident that took place in Kalyani Nagar area in the early hours of Sunday.
Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar told PTI that the Porsche car was imported in March by a dealer in Bengaluru and from there it was sent to Maharashtra on a temporary registration.
"When it was produced at the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), it was found that a certain registration fee was not paid and the owner was asked to pay the amount for completion of the procedure. However, the vehicle was not brought to the RTO for the completion of the registration process after that," he said.
According to officials, road tax is exempted for electric vehicles registered in Maharashtra, and hence for the registration of this Porsche Taycan model, the registration fees that were applicable were only Rs 1,758 with the break-up of Rs 1,500 hypothecation fees, Rs 200 smart card RC fees and Rs 58 postal charges.
Interestingly, as per Porsche India's website, the ex-showroom price of the vehicle manufacturer's various cars starts at Rs 96 lakh and goes over Rs 1.86 crore. Though the price of the Porsche Taycan model is not given on the website, transport department sources said that it could be in crores.
The officials said that as per their records, the vehicle had a valid temporary registration certificate issued by Karnataka with a validity of six months from March to September 2024.
They said that the Porsche dealer in Bengaluru was not at fault as he had handed over the car after doing the temporary registration. Hence, it was the responsibility of the owner to get it registered at the RTO before plying it on the roads. During the temporary registration period, the vehicles can only be used to drive to and from the RTO.
Bhimanwar said that the teenage boy, who was said to be driving the car, will be barred from getting a driving licence until he turns 25 years of age, and the luxury car will also not be allowed to register at any RTO office for 12 months as its existing temporary registration will be cancelled as per the provisions in the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act.
Under the sub-sections of Section 199A (offenses by juveniles) of the MV Act, the transport authorities can take this action.
Bhimanwar said that their department is going to take stringent action in this case and the Pune RTO has been asked to register the police complaint for violation of provisions in the MV Act
"Whatever violations related to the Motor Vehicles Act happened in the issue, those will be registered in the FIR," Bhimanwar said, adding that they will also invoke the procedure for cancellation of the temporary registration of the vehicle as per the provisions in the act.
"The vehicle will be impounded for 12 months," another top official of the transport department said, adding that there is gross negligence in this case as the vehicle was driven at a speed over 160 kmph, allegedly in an inebriated state as per media reports.
The official said that there are several violations in this case, including driving the vehicle without a driving licence and without its registration, among others.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a press conference in Pune this evening that the car was purchased in Bengaluru and was brought here.
"As per the primary information, the RTI had carried out its inspection but the tax which was required to be paid was not paid. If there is any violation regarding that, a separate FIR will be registered," he said.
