Film actor Nora Fatehi was interrogated for the second time by Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Thursday in connection with conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s ₹200 crore extortion case, the police said.
Special Commissioner of Police (Crime and EOW) Ravindra Yadav told The Hindu that Ms. Fatehi was confronted with Pinky Irani for five to six hours. Ms. Irani had introduced Ms. Fatehi and actor Jacqueline Fernandez to Chandrasekhar, the police said.
Earlier when Ms. Fatehi was called for questioning, the EOW was left with several unanswered questions. “We cleared all the contradictions after both [Irani and Fatehi] were interrogated together,” the Special CP said.
Ms. Fatehi claimed that she was approached by Ms. Irani on behalf of Chandrashekhar in January. She was called to Chennai for the inauguration of a studio and Chandrashekhar’s wife had gifted her an expensive bag and a car instead of fees, a police officer said. Ms. Fatehi received the bag and her brother-in-law Mehboob accepted the car on her behalf due to certain legal constraints.
Mr. Yadav said Mehboob, who is Ms. Fatehi’s cousin’s husband, was also a part of the interrogation. Ms. Irani had contacted Mehboob to lure him saying they can get him into films, the officer said.
Ms. Fatehi maintained she never met Chandrashekhar in person but they have had limited conversations over WhatsApp and she was not aware of his illegal activities, the officer added. “Fatehi was suspicious when she started receiving calls from Chandrashekhar after the event. She then ended all contacts with him,” a source said.
An expensive bike that was allegedly gifted to Ms. Fernandez’s agent Prashant by Chandrashekhar in 2021 has been seized by the EOW. The police said the bike was given to the actor on her birthday, but it wasn’t used by the agent or the actor. They had refused to accept the bike, but he left the keys at her residence, they said.
Mr. Yadav said Ms. Irani will be interrogated at length later. “As of now, the EOW has not summoned anybody,” the police officer added.
