Bhubaneswar (PTI): The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Michaung' and is likely to cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, the IMD said in a bulletin.
The system could result in heavy rains in most parts of southern Odisha and coastal region of the state, it said. The name Michaung (pronounced as migjaum) was suggested by Myanmar and it means strength or resilience.
The system which moved northwestwards with a speed of 5 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm lay centered at 5.30 am at about 300 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 310 km southeast of Chennai, 440 km southeast of Nellore, 550 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 550 km southsoutheast of Machilipatnam, the weather agency said.
It is likely to continue to move northwestwards, intensify further and reach the westcentral Bay Of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by December 4 forenoon.
"Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards almost parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph," the bulletin said.
Under its impact, Odisha will experience light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy rainfall is likely over south coastal and adjoining south interior Odisha during December 4-6 with isolated very heavy rainfall over the same region on December 5.
"Under the influence of the system, rain may resume in Odisha on December 3 with its intensity increasing in the next three days," an official at the Regional Metrological Centre, Bhubaneswar said, adding that light to moderate rain and thundershower may occur at a few places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapti, Ganjam at one or two places in districts of coastal Odisha, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on Sunday.
The IMD issued Yellow Warning (be updated) as heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) is likely at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam on December 4. Similarly, it said that light to moderate rain and thundershowers may also occur at many places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapti, Ganjam, Puri, at a few places in Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and at one or two places in remaining parts of the state.
For December 5, the IMD issued Orange warning (be prepared) and forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) may occur at one or two places in the five districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
It also issued Yellow Warning (be updated) and forecast heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) is also likely at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Puri.
This apart, it forecast light to moderate rain and thundershower is expected at most places in south coastal Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and at many places in south interior Odisha, north coastal Odisha and at a few places in north interior Odisha.
Meanwhile, the state government has put all the coastal and southern district collectors on alert and cancelled the leave of field workers under the Agriculture department.
The East Coast Railways (ECoR) has cancelled the running of 54 trains in its jurisdiction in view of the rain and wind.
The fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea till further notice as the sea condition will remain rough to very rough.
The IMD said that squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely from December 4 evening along and off Odisha coast (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur), and gradually increase becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from December 5 evening for subsequent 12 hours.
It would gradually decrease thereafter. Also, strong surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph is likely over Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts on December 5.
All ports in Odisha have been asked to hoist distant cautionary signal I, the IMD said.
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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.