New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday got three-day custody of alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, and his wife and actress Leena Maria Paul in a Rs 200 crore-money laundering case.

The case is in connection with extortion of money from an industrialist's wife.

Two separate applications have been moved by the ED seeking remand of accused Sukesh Chandrashekhar and Leena to their custody for a period of 14 days.

It was submitted that during the investigation, searches were conducted at various places linked to Sukesh Chandrashekar and his associates which revealed that the properties in Tamil Nadu where Leena was residing, was purchased by Jitendra Kothari's Shree Jai Jinendra Construction Ltd as per the directions of Chandrashekar.

All the payments towards purchase of the property were arranged by Sukesh in cash in Chennai through his associates, it added.

That during search proceedings carried out in that regard, 16 high-end vehicles were seized under section 17 PMLA and these cars are either in the name of firms of Leena Paul or in the name of third parties.

It is further submitted that when the above stated properties were purchased, Sukesh was lodged in jail and Leena was enjoying the said properties.

The businessman and his brother were booked by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing and the ED in 2019.

Chandrashekar, currently lodged in Tihar Jail, is an accused of running an extortion racket worth Rs 200 crore from inside the jail.

On Friday, a Delhi court allowed the ED to interrogate the businessman and his wife inside the jail and if need be, arrest them. They were later arrested.

During proceedings, counsels submitted that the department can interrogate the accused in Tihar Jail premises in presence of other police officials and to that extent, both the accused have no objection.