Please stop: Cousin of Air India crash victim slams influencers for fake videos, AI images
New Delhi: As families across the country grapple with the devastating aftermath of the Air India Flight AI171 crash that killed 270 persons, including 241 persons on board, in Ahmedabad, a grieving relative has strongly criticised social media influencers and content creators for exploiting the tragedy with fake videos, doctored images, and misinformation.
Kuldeep Bhatt, cousin of crash victim Komi Vyas, who died along with her husband Prateek Joshi and their three young children, urged influencers to stop circulating misleading and AI-generated visuals for views and online engagement, as reported by India Today on Monday.
“Our family, along with hundreds of others, is undergoing immense trauma,” Bhatt said, lamenting how genuine family photographs have been manipulated to produce sensationalised content. He recalled a selfie that Komi and her family had shared shortly before takeoff, which has since gone viral as part of AI-generated videos falsely portraying events around the crash.
“When Komi and others were leaving the flight, they took a selfie and posted it in our family group. Now that photo has gone viral. People have been generating videos from that photo. One such video has gone viral throughout India. It's AI-generated. The photo has been made into a fake video,” he said.
The situation, Bhatt noted, has been made worse by the circulation of disturbing images involving the couple’s daughter Miraya. As the family awaits confirmation of her identity through DNA testing, unverified reports and visuals have been widely shared on social media platforms, claiming that the child’s body has been identified and cremated.
Further adding to the family’s distress are fake social media accounts being created in Komi’s name, along with the unauthorised use of personal photos. “Fake accounts have been made. I request all social media influencers that please stop. Why are you giving us so much mental trauma just to increase your likes and followers?” he said.
Bhatt urged content creators to exercise basic responsibility and verify information through official channels before posting online. “If you need any information, talk to the administration. You’re getting official updates from there. If you need some photos or videos, we will provide them for you. But for your entertainment, for your popularity, please don’t do this,” he said.
The Air India aircraft, which was en route to London, crashed into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area shortly after takeoff on Thursday. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew members on board, along with several casualties on the ground. Among the victims were Komi, Prateek, their twin sons Pradyut and Nakul, and daughter Miraya.
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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.
