‘My daughter is admitted’: Ahmedabad plane crash pushes doctor to tears amid hostel eviction
Ahmedabad: The recent Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad has left an indelible scar on the medical community of the city, with five doctors and four of their family members among the many lives lost. But it was a video of a young doctor, Dr Anil, breaking down in front of the camera that has captured the emotional devastation faced by the survivors.
Dr Anil, whose family was residing in the hostel complex of BJ Medical College that was severely damaged in the crash, was seen pleading for a brief delay in the evacuation process. In the viral video, his voice trembled as he cried, “My daughter is admitted. Please show some humanity,” asking officials for just two or three more days before vacating the premises.
The Air India flight AI171, which was bound for London, crashed into the mess building of BJ Medical College on Thursday afternoon, killing several and injuring more than 32 people, many of them doctors and mess staff. The mess, usually bustling during lunchtime, turned into a scene of horror as the aircraft tore through the structure. Some junior doctors had just entered when the disaster struck, leaving several critically wounded.
Among those who died were not just doctors but also their family members. Dr Pradeep Solanki, a neurosurgeon from Civil Hospital, lost his pregnant wife who was resting in their hostel room when the debris collapsed over her. Another devastating loss was faced by Dr Neelkanth, a student of onco-surgery, who lost three of his visiting family members — his mother, maternal uncle, and aunt.
Four blocks of hostels — housing doctors from UN Mehta Institute, Civil Hospital, and the Cancer Department — were affected in the crash. As part of the investigation and safety protocol, the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau began a probe and declared the buildings unsafe, prompting immediate evacuation orders. It was in this moment of stress that Dr Anil, overwhelmed by fear and lack of clarity, broke down on camera.
However, Dr Anil later released another video clarifying the situation. He explained that his panic stemmed from miscommunication with his wife, and he had not realised that the government had already allotted a flat for his family and arranged for shifting essentials. “I was unaware at that moment that all support was already being provided. I want to thank the officials for their timely help,” he said.
The BJ Medical College Dean, Dr Meenakshi Parekh, had earlier confirmed that the evacuation was essential for safety. “We have started the process of vacating four hostel buildings. Students are being shifted to UN Mehta Hostel, Dental College Hostel, Mithila Hostel, and we have rented 50 rooms for one year to ensure accommodation,” she said.
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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.
