More than 225 terrorists killed in J&K so far this year: Army
Kapurthala (Punjab) : More than 225 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said on Saturday.
He said initiatives taken by the government and security forces had resulted in a drop in the number of local youths being radicalised and taking to militancy over the last few months.
"We have been able to neutralise a large number of terrorists. As on date, we have been neutralised more than 225 terrorists. However, couple of days of this year are still balanced (left)," Singh told reporters here on the sidelines of his visit to Sainik School, his alma mater.
He said locals were sharing information about terrorists' movements with the Army, which is a positive sign.
"That is a very positive sign, which shows a decline of militancy. It shows frustration on the part of Pakistan to push more and more terrorists into J&K. But our resolve is clear that as long as terrorists are moving around they shall not be provided space to carry out activities at their will. They will be acted against and neutralised," he said.
"We will ensure that peace and stability are maintained in J&K," he added.
Singh said the Army would not allow radicalisation of local youth in the state.
"All the initiatives by the government and security forces in J&K are paying rich dividends. There is reduction in the number of local youths joining militancy, which was taking place in last couple of months. There is a relative decline. There is also a decline in radicalisation," he said.
"That is the reason that situation is stable in J&K. But (if) any untoward thing happens, the Army acts swiftly and ensures peace, stability and security," he added.
Speaking about Pakistan, Singh said the neighbouring country was trying to spread terrorism beyond Kashmir in India.
The Army is taking all measures to arrest the spread of terrorism, he said.
He lauded the Kartarpur corridor, which will connect Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district with Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib Narowal in Pakistan.
It is a good thing as it will encourage people to people contact, he said.
Warning infiltrators, Singh said those who dare to cross the Line of Control (LoC) will have to face death.
He also said the Army was giving befitting response to Pakistan's snipers and the force had kept up the pressure on the adversary along the LoC.
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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.
