UAE Princess slams Sudarshan TV's Suresh Chavhanke over Tweet on secularism
Says, learn from the religion of peace how to be respectful of others
Dubai: Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi, a princess from the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), responded strongly to a tweet by Sudarshan TV's Editor-in-chief, Suresh Chavhanke, regarding secularism. Chavhanke claimed that passengers were left waiting outside a bus in the UAE because the Muslim driver was performing prayers.
Chavhanke, known for his far-right extremist ideology, alleged that passengers had to endure the heat while the Muslim driver prayed inside an air-conditioned bus. In response, Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi shared a tweet from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) that clarified the incident. According to the RTA, the bus was outside its operational hours at the time, and for safety reasons, no one is allowed to enter the bus before or after the scheduled trip.
Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi strongly criticized Chavhanke, emphasizing that the UAE is not a secular country and urged him to have accurate information. She supported the bus driver, stating that he was praying after work hours in a Muslim country that embraces religious tolerance. She further highlighted that the driver was not engaging in harmful actions such as evicting people from their homes or businesses, unlike certain neo-Nazis who continue to perpetrate such acts. She concluded by advising Chavhanke to learn how to respect others who do not share his religion or political beliefs, drawing from the principles of peace in her own faith.
Chavhanke has a history of making Islamophobic remarks, amounting to hate speeches, on his television channel and other public platforms. His inflammatory statements have the potential to incite disharmony and communal tension.
He was praying after work hours in a bus he is responsible for in a Muslim country that is tolerant of other religions. The Emirates is NOT a secular country, just to remind you to get your facts straight. He was not killing and kicking out people from their homes and shops like… pic.twitter.com/Unohz4BWJN
— Hend F Q (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) June 13, 2023
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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.
