National
Sentencing of ‘Peepli Live’ co-director Farooqui on Aug 4
New Delhi : A court here on Tuesday fixed August 4 for pronouncing the quantum of punishment for Mahmood Farooqui, co-director of the 2010 Hindi film ‘Peepli Live’, convicted for the rape of an American woman.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain reserved his order after the defence and prosecution concluded their arguments on the quantum of punishment.
Farooqui was convicted of rape on July 30.
The prosecution demanded maximum punishment, saying he had committed a grave offence.
The complainant’s counsel also told the court that Farooqui must be awarded the maximum punishment as he had raped a foreign woman he had invited to dinner and thus had “betrayed the friendship and trust of the woman”.
On the other hand, Farooqui’s counsel sought leniency, saying the convict had maintained good conduct during the trial and also not tried to intimidate the victim.
Farooqui was charged with the rape of the 35-year-old woman from Columbia University who was in India for research work for her doctoral thesis.
The woman moved to Delhi in June 2014 and was looking for contacts for her work in Gorakhpur. She came in contact with Farooqui through a common friend.
The crime dates back to March 28, 2015, when Farooqui invited her for dinner at his house.
Police said in its chargesheet that she reached the director’s house at 9 p.m. on that date and found him very intoxicated. He asked her to go to his office in the other room.
He later forced himself on her, the prosecution said, adding the woman was scared after the incident.
During the trial, the American researcher stood by her complaint and reiterated that Farooqui raped her. He denied the charge and claimed he was falsely implicated.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.