Suspected PFI members conspired to transform India into Islamic country: HC while denying bail
Mumbai, Jun 11: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant bail to three alleged members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), noting they had conspired to transform India into an Islamic country by 2047.
A division bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Shyam Chandak rejected the bail pleas of the trio -- Razi Ahmed Khan, Unais Umar Khaiyyam Patel and Kayyum Abdul Shaikh -- and observed there was prima facie evidence against them.
They are accused of being members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), banned by the Centre in 2022, and indulging in conspiracy acts against the Government of India.
The court, in its order, said the accused persons conspired to overawe the government by use of criminal force.
"The first information report is self eloquent. They conspired to transform India into an Islamic country by 2047. They are not only propagators but actively intending to implement the Vision-2047 document of their organization (PFI)," the bench noted.
The accused also incited like-minded persons to join them to overawe the government by use of criminal force, it observed.
"There is overwhelming evidence to demonstrate that the appellants in connivance with other accused persons have systematically undertaken activities which are detrimental to the interest and integrity of the nation," the HC said.
The bench added that the accused persons participated in spreading hatred against the state and pushing anti-national agenda through various means of propaganda.
The bench noted that the accused persons shared a document on social media groups titled 'Vision - 2047'.
"Perusal of Vision-2047 document indicates that, it is a sinister plot and design to transform India into an Islamic State by adopting all possible methods mentioned therein," the HC maintained.
It is a conspiracy to commit horrendous acts perpetrated by the appellants pursuant to their conspiracy, amounts to conspire to overawe or to attempt to wage war against the Government of India, the bench added.
The court, while rejecting their bail pleas, maintained there was prima facie evidence against them.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons had an aim to foster hatred towards other religions and the Government of India and to create division among Indians.
It is alleged that the accused held various meetings to create hatred in the mind of people from Muslim community and to instigate them to wage a war against the Government of India.
Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had lodged a case against the suspected PFI members under the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between religious groups and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The prosecution case is that in June 2022, the accused persons and several others had attended a secret meeting of the PFI during which they highlighted various "atrocities" being committed against the Muslim community in India, including incidents of mob-lynching.
As per the prosecution, in the meeting it was emphasized that there was a need for unity in the Muslim community to "wage a war against the country by adopting any mode".
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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.
