Veteran actor Yusuf Hussain passes away at 73
Mumbai, Oct 30: Veteran actor Yusuf Hussain, known for featuring in films like "Dhoom 2", "Raees" and "Road to Sangam", passed away on Saturday due to COVID-19. He was 73.
The actor passed away at Lilavati Hospital here, Husain's son-in-law, filmmaker Hansal Mehta told PTI.
Mehta took to Twitter and penned an emotional note for the actor, recalling how Husain had helped him financially after his feature "Shahid" was stuck after two schedules.
"I was troubled. A non-existent career as a filmmaker was almost finished completely. He just came up to me and said I have a fixed deposit and it is of no use to me if you are so troubled. He wrote a cheque. 'Shahid' was completed. That was Yusuf Husain.
"Not my father-in-law but a father. He was life if life itself had to have a physical form. Today he is gone," Mehta wrote.
The filmmaker said he owes his "new life" to Husain and wrote he feels "truly orphaned today."
"Life will never be the same. I will miss you terribly. My Urdu will remain broken. And yes - love you love you love you," he added.
The veteran actor's credits also include films like "Dabangg 3", "Oh My God", "I Am Singh" and had also shot for Abhishek Bachchan-starrer upcoming thriller "Bob Biswas".
Bachchan took to Twitter and also paid his condolences to the veteran.
"We worked together in several films starting with 'Kuch Na Kaho' and lastly on 'Bob Biswas'. He was gentle, kind and full of warmth. Condolences to his family."
Mehta's close friend and longtime collaborator, actor Manoj Bajpayee tweeted, "Sad News! Condolences to @safeenahusain @mehtahansal and the entire family! Rest in peace Yusuf saab."
Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt wrote that Mehta's post about Husain had made her emotional.
"This brought tears to my eyes Hansal. Can't begin to imagine what you'll are feeling. My deepest condolences to all," she added.
RIP Yusuf Husain. pic.twitter.com/laP0b1U732
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) October 29, 2021
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ED arrests Sandeepa Virk, 'cosmetologist' for alleged money laundering
New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday it has arrested a woman, who claims to be an actor and a cosmetologist, under the anti-money laundering law in a case of alleged fraud and misrepresentation.
The agency said the purported links of the woman, Sandeepa Virk, with a Reliance Group executive, Angarai Natarajan Sethuraman (President, Corporate Affairs), are also under its scanner. Sethuraman, in a statement, denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Virk was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday after searches were conducted against her and her associates in Delhi and Mumbai over the last two days.
A special court sent her to the ED's custody till August 14, the agency said. The woman claims to be the owner of a skin care products selling website named hyboocare.com, which the ED claimed was a "front" for money laundering.
She and her associates are being probed for allegedly exerting undue influence through "misrepresentation" and "defrauding" individuals by soliciting money under false pretences.
According to an Instagram ID of Virk, she is an actor and entrepreneur and the founder of the said website.
The federal agency said in a statement that the woman was also "in touch with" Sethuraman, former director of erstwhile Reliance Capital Limited.
She was communicating with him regarding "illegal liaisoning", the ED claimed, adding that the searches at Sethuraman's residence "confirmed" these allegations.
"Besides, diversion of funds for personal benefit has also been unearthed during the course of the search action," it said.
The ED alleged that public money worth about Rs 18 crore belonging to Reliance Commercial Finance Limited (RCFL) was disbursed to Sethuraman in 2018 by "flouting" prudent lending norms.
The funds were lent under terms that allowed a deferment of the principal amount as well as the interest, with multiple waivers granted and no due diligence conducted, it said.
The ED claimed that besides this, a home loan of Rs 22 crore was provided by Reliance Capital Limited by "violating" the prudential norms. "A large part of these loans are seen to have been eventually siphoned off and remained unpaid," it alleged.
Sethuraman, in a statement, dismissed the allegations as "baseless". He denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Detailing about Virk's web portal, the agency said it purportedly sold FDA-approved beauty products. However, the ED said the products listed on the website have been found to be non-existent and the portal lacks a user registration option and is plagued by persistent payment gateway issues.
A scrutiny of the website uncovered minimal social-media engagement, an inactive WhatsApp contact number and an absence of transparent organisational details, all of which reinforce the finding of "non-genuine" commercial activity, the ED claimed.
"These factors, including limited product range, inflated pricing, false claims of FDA approval and technical inconsistencies, indicate that the website serves as a front for laundering funds," it said.
Another social media-hosted bio data of the woman said she is a certified cosmetologist.
The ED said several "incriminating" documents were seized during the searches and the statement of a man named Farrukh Ali, stated to be an associate of Virk, was recorded.
The money-laundering case stems from an FIR lodged by the Punjab Police.
Sethuraman said that the home loan he received from Reliance Capital was granted following due process and was secured by the property offered as collateral.
