Jammers in exam centres: UGC asks varsities to strictly comply with government policy
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed varsities and higher educational institutions to strictly comply with the government's policy while installing jammers in examination centre to check use of unfair means.
The government had in 2016 allowed statutory examination conducting bodies to deploy low powered jammers in examination halls in order to prevent use of unfair means through radio frequency-based devices.
"You must ensure adherence to provision of government's policy on jammers in your university or college," the commission has said in a letter to vice-chancellors and college principals.
The UGC has specified that classroom jammer model--EC-CRJ-6B5--saying it has been successfully evaluated through lab tests and field trials by a board of officers and suggested that jammer model should be used at places where there is no Base Transceiver Station (BTS) within 100 metres of the site.
"Performance of jammers deployed in each examination centre will be verified before commencement of examination as effectiveness of jammers depends on various factors like its power output, signal strength of BTS, traffic load on BTS at a given point of time, distance of jammer from BTS, sensitivity of receiver, terrain, topography and line of sight etc," the commission said.
"Actual deployment of jammers will require prior permission of Secretary (Security) in terms of the jammer policy of the government," the UGC letter said.
The Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and the Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), both government enterprises, have been authorised for supply of low powered jammers for deployment in examination halls, on rental basis, based on requirements furnished by the examination conducting bodies.
As per the policy, inviting open tender from unauthorized manufacturers is not allowed and will be treated as violation of norms.
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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.
