Raisen (MP), Jun 16: As many as 39 boys and 19 girls were rescued from a distillery in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, an official said on Sunday.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) with the Association of Voluntary Action, also known as Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), led the crackdown at Som Distillery on Saturday, a release stated.
A team led by NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo rescued 58 children, 19 girls and 39 boys, from Som Distillery, the BBA stated.
"Children bore burn wounds on their hands from exposure to harsh chemicals and alcohol. They were transported daily by their employer in a school bus and worked 12-14 hours daily," it said.
In a post on 'X', Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the raid at the factory was a serious matter.
"Received detailed information from the labour, excise and police departments, and direction has been given for taking appropriate action. Strict action will be taken against the guilty," Yadav wrote.
Som Distilleries & Breweries is an ISO-certified group of companies manufacturing and supplying beer, IMFL (India-made Foreign Liquor) and RTD (Ready To Drink) beverages.
BBA director Manish Sharma, who was also part of the team, said, "The stench of alcohol and chemicals was unbearable. It is unimaginable the children worked in these conditions for such long hours every day. We appeal for strict action against the employers."
Despite repeated attempts, Alok Arora, the director of Som Group of Companies, could not be reached for comment, and Raisen collector Arvind Dube also remained unavailable.
Two days ago, NCPCR, on the complaint of BBA, rescued 36 children from three factories in Mandideep town in Raisen district.
बाल श्रम निरोधक माह के अंतर्गत @NCPCR_ को बचपन बचाओ आंदोलन से प्राप्त शिकायत के आधार पर आज रायसेन ज़िले में सोम डिस्टलरी नामक शराब बनाने वाली फ़ैक्टरी में निरीक्षण किया गया जहां 50 से अधिक बच्चे शराब बनाने का काम करते हुए पाए गए हैं इनमें 20 लड़कियाँ भी हैं।
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (मोदी का परिवार) (@KanoongoPriyank) June 15, 2024
यह संस्थान सरकार के… pic.twitter.com/8KrabMZyZB
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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.