India, July 19 -- An Indian-origin woman, who pleaded guilty to fraud over illegally obtaining five loans being offered by the state to support businesses at the height of the Covid pandemic, has been sentenced to over two years in jail by a UK court.

Rupali Wagh, 50, applied for a total of 216,250 pounds in Bounce Back Loans for her four companies between May and September 2020 by inflating the turnover of her businesses. She used some of the funds to buy stocks and shares and paying off personal finance, in clear violation of the terms. She was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment in Wales on Friday.

"Rupali Wagh systematically targeted a scheme designed to help genuine businesses survive the pandemic," said David Snas...