Ranbir Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rhea Chakraborty: Celebs who were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate

In the world of Bollywood, fame and fortune often come hand in hand with public scrutiny and the occasional legal entanglement. Over the years, several prominent celebrities have found themselves summoned by government agencies for various reasons, including financial irregularities and alleged money laundering. As Ranbir Kapoor becomes the latest star to get summoned for questioning by the central agency, we take a look back at other Bollywood celebrities like Jacqueline Fernandez, Rhea Chakraborty, Amitabh Bachchan and others who have been under the scanner.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on Friday regarding his involvement in the Mahadev betting application money-laundering case in Chhattisgarh, officials have reported. Kapoor is alleged to have received funds from the app's promoters in exchange for endorsing their product in the online domain. He has been asked to appear at the ED's Raipur office on October 6. Despite repeated attempts to reach out to the actor, there has been no response from him. Sources indicate that approximately 14-15 other celebrities and actors are also under the ED's scrutiny in connection with the case and are expected to be summoned in the near future.

Jacqueline Fernandez appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of a money laundering investigation involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. The actress had visited the central agency's office multiple times to provide her statement. According to sources within the ED, Fernandez was questioned as a victim in the case, which is based on an FIR filed by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others. The allegations against them include criminal conspiracy, cheating, and extortion amounting to approximately Rs 200 crore. Her statement was recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Nora Fatehi, too, has been summoned for an inquiry related to the same money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was scrutinizing individuals who had direct or indirect links to the case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. According to Times Now, the ED was investigating overseas investments, which are believed to have been orchestrated by Chandrashekar. Furthermore, reports suggest that the ED suspects active involvement of Bollywood celebrities in the case.

Following Sushant Singh Rajput's tragic death in 2020, many celebrities faced scrutiny from the Narcotics Control Bureau and Enforcement Directorate. Sushant's family accused his girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, of both his demise and financial improprieties. Rhea and her family underwent extensive questioning by investigators. In the case, Rajput's family had alleged financial irregularities amounting to Rs 15 crore. However, the ED's probe revealed no suspicious or irregular activities in their financial transactions. An ED source explained that Sushant's family had misconceptions about his finances, as they were unaware of his financial dealings, which were handled by his chartered accountant.

Actress Yami Gautam faced a summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding potential FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) infractions. ED investigations revealed that Yami had received Rs 1.5 crore in foreign funds, which she hadn't previously disclosed. She had previously been summoned by the agency but was unable to appear due to pandemic-related restrictions. In her latest appearance, she recorded her statement regarding these alleged irregularities.

Rakul Preet Singh was also summoned by the ED. She was called for the investigation in regards to a money laundering case involving a high-end drug racket that was busted in 2017. She was interrogated by the officials for more than five hours. The actress was asked to produce her bank statements as there was an alleged suspicious transaction.

Back in 2017, Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with their alleged involvement in the Panama Papers Case. The Panama Papers leak revealed offshore entities used for alleged tax evasion and money laundering. The actors had been asked to appear before the ED for questioning regarding their financial transactions and offshore investments.