'Designer's mistake,' says DMK leader Anitha Radhakrishnan on 'China flag' in rocket advertisement
Thoothukudi, Feb 29: A day after his advertisement related to ISRO's new launch complex in Tamil Nadu caused a row for featuring a 'Chinese flag', DMK leader and Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan on Thursday said it was a gaffe by the designer.
The minister stressed that it was only a mistake and they (DMK) had no other intentions.
"A small mistake happened in the advertisement. We have no other intention. We have only love for India in our hearts," Radhakrishnan said, adding that it is his party's stand that India should stay united without giving any room for clashes on the grounds of caste or religion.
Radhakrishnan said it was late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi who first voiced the demand for a new launch complex of ISRO at Kulasekarapattinam near here in Tamil Nadu. Also, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Thoothukudi Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi had all along urged the Centre to set up the launch complex in the state, he told reporters.
This is why it was decided to give an advertisement (in dailies) to highlight the efforts made by the DMK leaders to bring the project to Tamil Nadu, the minister said.
Those who designed the advertisement made a gaffe which went unnoticed by them, the Minister said.
BJP leader and Union Minister L Murugan, however, demanded that the DMK apologise to the people for publishing that advertisement.
On the DMK's stand that the 'China' reference was a mistake, Murugan said, "It is our duty to put the Indian flag (in advertisement) and they (DMK) must apologise to the people. Only India's achievements have to be showcased. The country's achievements in space technology and the new ISRO complex in Tamil Nadu are the nation's pride."
On February 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a new launch complex of ISRO at Kulasekarapattinam, which is worth about Rs 986 crore. The complex, which can accommodate 24 launches per year, includes 35 facilities and features mobile launch structures (MLS) with checkout computers marking a significant stride in enhancing space exploration capabilities.
On the concluding day (Feb 28) of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, Modi strongly criticised the DMK for being "oblivious" to the nation's achievements in the space sector.
Addressing a BJP rally, PM Modi alleged that the DMK regime does not work, but only takes "false credit" and affixes its 'stickers' on Central schemes.
"Now they have crossed the limit. They have pasted the sticker of China to take credit for ISRO launchpad in Tamil Nadu. This is an insult to our space scientists, space sector, your tax money and you (the country)," he said, addressing the people.
In a post on X, the PM had said: "DMK's advertisement today is hilarious. They have insulted Indian science and the Indian space sector, for which they must apologise."
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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.
