Sukesh Chandrasekhar, a notorious Indian conman, gained notoriety as the prime accused in a Rs. 200-crore money laundering case investigated in 2021.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born in 1989 in Bhawani Nagar, Bangalore, Sukesh, also known as Bala Ji. Coming from a middle-class family in Bengaluru, Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s father is named Vijayan Chandrashekhar. He is married to Indian actress Leena Maria Paul, known for her role in movies like “Madras Cafe.” Reports suggest that Leena became pregnant with Sukesh’s child at one point, but she chose to undergo an abortion. In 2011, the couple temporarily separated but later reconciled and resumed living together.
EDUCATION
Sukesh Chandrasekhar attended Bishop Cotton Boys’ School for primary education and Madurai University for secondary education. From an early age, he developed a fascination for luxurious and sports cars. During his university days, Sukesh worked as an intern organizing car events in his city.
CAREER
During the investigation of the Rs. 200-crore extortion case, Sukesh Chandrasekhar confessed to having a romantic relationship with popular Indian actress Jacqueline Fernandez. His advocate, Anant Malik, released an official statement confirming this claim. Subsequently, a photograph of Sukesh kissing Jacqueline on the cheek in a mirror selfie went viral on social media. However, Jacqueline’s manager, on behalf of the actress, denied any relationship between her and Sukesh or his wife.
Since his childhood, Sukesh Chandrasekhar held a strong desire for a high-end lifestyle and expensive cars. To fulfill this extravagant dream, he resorted to scamming people, aiming to accumulate vast sums of money quickly. Sukesh posed as a friend of a prominent senior politician’s son to con individuals. His criminal activities began when he cheated a family friend for Rs. 1.5 crore at the young age of seventeen. Despite being granted bail for his first crime, Sukesh continued to defraud people using various schemes, promising government jobs or properties. To satisfy his urge to drive vehicles legally as a minor, Sukesh forged the signature of the Bangalore police commissioner, fabricating a certificate allowing him to drive anywhere in Karnataka.
In 2017, Sukesh Chandrasekhar gained significant attention when he was arrested by Delhi Police officials in connection with the two-leaves symbol bribery case. He allegedly acted as a middleman for TTV Dhinakaran, the deputy general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). According to reports, TTV Dhinakaran hired Sukesh to approach Election Commission officials and secure a favorable judgment for the Sasikala faction of AIADMK in the two-leaf symbol dispute. Sukesh was accused of charging Rs. 50 crore for influencing the Election Commission officials. During the arrest, police found a bag filled with bundles of Rs. 2,000 notes amounting to Rs. 1.3 crore in Sukesh’s hotel room, along with his Mercedes-Benz parked in the hotel’s parking lot.
Sukesh Chandrasekhar sought bail, denying any connection to TTV Dhinakaran. However, he faced a total of 24 FIRs filed against him, leading to his bail being denied by the high court and the trial court on multiple occasions. In 2021, while on interim bail, he was once again arrested by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing officials, this time in connection with a cheating case involving Aditi Singh, the wife of Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh. Sukesh’s wife, Leena Maria Paul, was also arrested for her involvement in the fraud. A total of 13 individuals, including Kamlesh Koth
