SUV with explosives found near Ambani's house was stolen last week: Cops
Letter said it was only a ‘Jhalak’
Mumbai, Feb 26: The vehicle with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in south Mumbai had been stolen last week, and a letter found inside said it was only a "glimpse" of things to come, police said on Friday.
A Scorpio with gelatin sticks was found parked on Carmichael Road near 'Antilia', the multi-storey residence of Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, on Thursday evening.
The registration number on the vehicle's number plate was the same as that of an SUV in Ambani's security detail, police had said.
"The owner of the vehicle, Hiren Mansukh, visited the police commissioner's office in south Mumbai this afternoon after he saw visuals of the SUV found near Ambani's house, which was similar to his vehicle," a police official said.
Mansukh, a resident of neighbouring Thane, told reporters that he had parked the SUV near Airoli Mulund Bridge on February 17 after its steering got jammed while he was on his way to attend a family function.
"The next day, when I went to get my car, it could not be found....following which I lodged a complaint at Vikhroli police station," he said.
On Thursday, besides gelatin sticks a letter was also found in the SUV, in Hindi but written in English alphabet and purportedly addressed to Ambani, his wife and the family, police said.
This was only a "Jhalak" (glimpse) but the next time the "saaman" (explosives) will be fully assembled, the letter said.
The letter was in a blue bag next to the driver's seat, while the gelatin sticks were kept in a packet with the name of its manufacturer, "Solar Industries, Nagpur". Also a bag with `Mumbai Indians' printed on it was found in the car.
Satyanarayan Nuwal, owner of Nagpur-based Solar Industries, said in a statement on Friday that he received a phone call from Mumbai police about the discovery of the packet.
As provided under the Explosives Rules 2008, all the data of production and sale of explosives by the company is submitted to the Explosives Department and police, it said.
The statement also said that "explosive cartridges" (gelatin sticks) produced by it cannot be exploded without a detonator.
The police said an FIR was registered in connection with the seized SUV at Gamdevi police station here against unidentified persons under IPC sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (punishment for forgery), 506(2) (criminal intimidation, if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy).
Section four of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, (punishment for attempt to cause explosion) was also invoked.
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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.
