The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea filed by Sri Lankan-origin actress Jacqueline Fernandez seeking quashing of the Rs 200-crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice A.G. Masih granted the actress liberty to approach the court at an appropriate stage.

Fernandez had moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court, on July 3, rejected her plea for quashing the Enforcement Directorate’s ECIR and the supplementary complaint arraigning her as the tenth accused in the case.

Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Fernandez, argued that the prosecution’s case was based on the claim that she “should have been more careful while accepting gifts” from Sukesh. He contended that the offence of abetment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) required “knowing involvement” and stressed that Fernandez was a prosecution witness in the predicate offence.

However, Justice Datta pointed to the Supreme Court’s Vijay Madanlal Choudhary judgment, which upheld the constitutionality of PMLA provisions.

“The allegation is that it was given to you as gifts. Nothing has been proved. At the stage of framing of charges, you have to accept what is the allegation,” Justice Datta observed, adding that Fernandez could renew her challenge at the trial stage.

The court clarified that observations made by the Delhi High Court in its July order would not prejudice the trial proceedings.

“Dismissed with liberty to approach the court. The observations made in the impugned judgment were only for the purpose of disposing of the petition. At the time of framing of charges, the special court shall be at liberty to hear the petitioner and pass the order,” the bench said.