UP trader attempts suicide on Facebook live, blames PM Modi for his financial state; wife dies
Baghpat (UP), Feb 9: A local trader allegedly attempted suicide on Facebook Live, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his poor financial condition. His wife, who also consumed poison, died.
Superintendent of Police, Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, confirmed the incident on Wednesday and said the condition of Rajiv Tomar (40), who ran a shoe-shop, is serious.
The incident took place on Tuesday when Rajiv started a Facebook Live during which he consumed poison.
After failing to stop her husband, Tomar's wife, Poonam, also consumed poison.
Both of them were rushed to a private hospital where Poonam died, while the trader's condition was stated to be critical, police said.
In the purported video, Rajiv held PM Modi responsible for his financial condition.
"Modiji will be responsible for my death. If Modi ji has any shame, he will change things. I am not saying he is wrong on everything but he is not a well-wisher ('hitaishi') of small traders and farmers," he said.
When Poonam tried to stop him, Tomar said, "Government to sunti nahi tum hi sun lo" (the government doesn't hear us, at least you should hear).
Poonam tried to take out the poison from Tomar's mouth but after failing to do so, she also consumed it, the purported video showed.
Rajiv was a resident of Subhash Nagar.
Rajiv ran a shoe shop and the lockdown in 2020 had ruined his business, his family members said.
A large number of shoes in his shop were damaged as the shop was closed for the long period, they said.
He also had taken loans which he could not pay off, they said, adding that Rajiv had two sons.
Condoling the death, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Twitter, "It's saddening to know about the suicide attempt by a trader and his wife. While the wife has died, his condition is serious and I pray to God for Rajivji's speedy recovery."
At a press conference in Lucknow on Wednesday, Priyanka said, "The Baghpat incident is saddening. Demonetisation, GST and lockdown had affected small and medium businessmen. It's unfortunate that the government has not come for their help."
बागपत में एक व्यापारी एवं उनकी पत्नी की आत्महत्या के प्रयास और उनकी पत्नी की मृत्यु के बारे में जान कर बेहद दुःख हुआ।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 9, 2022
परिजनों के प्रति मेरी शोक संवेदनाएं। मैं ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करती हूं कि श्री राजीव जी को जल्द स्वास्थ्य लाभ मिले।
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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.
