UP pacer Ankit Rajpoot announces retirement at 31
New Delhi, Dec 16: Uttar Pradesh pacer Ankit Rajpoot on Monday announced his retirement from Indian cricket at 31 years of age, opening the prospect of a career in overseas T20 leagues.
Rajpoot, who represented Uttar Pradesh in the latest Ranji trophy season, made the announcement on social media.
"Today, with immense gratitude & humility, I announce my retirement from Indian cricket. My journey from 2009-2024 has been the most wonderful period of my life," he wrote on social media.
"I am grateful for the opportunities given to me by the Board of Control for India, Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, Kanpur Cricket Association..."
Rajpoot also thanked the five IPL teams -- Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants -- he was part of.
Former India pacer Siddharth Kaul had also said goodbye to domestic cricket last month.
Like him, Rajpoot would be exploring opportunities in T20 leagues around the world.
An active BCCI cricketer is not allowed to take part in overseas leagues.
"I am excited to announce that I will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket & the business side of it, where I will also continue to participate in the sport that I love and challenge myself in a new and different environment," Rajpoot posted.
"I believe that this is the next step in my journey as a cricketer and I look forward to this new chapter in my life. I wish the best of luck to all the teammates from the various teams Iβve been a part of," he added.
Rajpoot featured in 80 First Class games, 50 in List A and 87 in T20s, taking 248, 71 and 105 wickets respectively.
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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.
