BJP leader files complaint against rapper Vedan over song 'targeting' PM Modi
Palakkad (PTI): A woman BJP leader from Palakkad has filed a formal complaint against popular rapper and songwriter Vedan (Hirandas Murali), accusing him of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promoting caste-based division through his music.
VS Minimol, a Municipal Councillor and Chairperson of the Development Committee at the Palakkad Municipality, has written to the Union Home Ministry and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), urging them to take action against the rapper.
She alleged that one of Vedan's songs contains defamatory remarks about the Prime Minister and inflammatory language aimed at "dividing the Hindu community along caste lines".
"The artist has made unsubstantiated, disrespectful, and offensive remarks about the Prime Minister, which not only malign his personal and political image but also undermine the dignity of the highest constitutional office in the country," Minimol said in the complaint, filed two days ago.
According to her, the song includes a direct mention of "Modi" during a live public performance, which she believes disrespects the office of the Prime Minister and spreads hatred among the public.
The complaint also highlighted Vedan's past legal issues, including his arrest on April 28 in connection with a drug case in Tripunithura, near Kochi.
It further alleged that, despite being out on bail, the rapper continues to hold large-scale concerts with massive audiences, during which he incites violence and hatred.
Minimol has requested that authorities investigate the matter under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including defamation, promoting enmity between groups, and causing public mischief. She also called for the application of relevant provisions under the Information Technology Act.
No official response from Vedan or his representatives has been reported so far.
The BJP leader’s complaint comes close on the heels of ongoing criticism against Vedan from Sangh Parivar leaders.
Hindu Aikyavedi leader K P Sasikala, speaking at an event in Palakkad on Wednesday, alleged that society was being humiliated by Vedan’s “improperly dressed antics” and said it was time to put a stop to them.
She also questioned the relevance of rap music to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) community.
In response, Vedan said that Sasikala’s allegedly casteist remarks were part of a broader attempt to portray him as “an extremist, a separatist, or a troublemaker.”
He further claimed that Sasikala’s comments—suggesting that rap music has no connection to the SC/ST community—reflected an attitude among people like her who do not want members of such communities to pursue anything different.
"I don't have the voice to sing classical songs—if I did, I would. I can only sing rap," he told reporters in Kochi on Thursday.
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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.
