National
Extortion case: Charge-sheet filed against Iqbal Kaskar, Chhota Shakeel
Thane (Maharashtra), Nov 21 (IANS) The police on Tuesday filed its charge-sheet against Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar, brother of absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, in the extortion case of a Thane builder, an official said here.
The charge-sheet has also named another fugitive mafia operative Chhota Shakeel and other known or unknown gangsters, besides other co-accused Israr Jamil Sayyed, Mumtaz Ejaz Shaikh and Pankaj Gangar.
“We have filed the charge-sheet running into 1,645 pages before the Thane Special MCOCA Court today (Tuesday) against the accused in the extortion case registered by builder Suresh Jain,” Investigating Officer Rajkumar Kothmire told IANS.
He said that accused have been charged under Indian Penal Code Section 384, 386, 387, 34 and 120(B), and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act Section 3(1)(ii), 3(2), 3(4) and 3(5), registered by the Kasarvadavali Police Station here.
Kothmire said the charge-sheet pertains to the first (of total three) extortion case lodged against Iqbal Kaskar and others in which they extorted four residential flats in a posh area of the city besides Rs three million (Rs 30 Lakhs) from the complainant.
All the accused – Iqbal Kaskar, Sayyed, Shaikh and Gangar – are currently in judicial custody till December 02.
Kothmire said the details of the investigations including how Iqbal Kaskar made several visits to Thane in 2016-2017, how his associates Sayyed and Shaikh helped him in taking forcible possession of the four flats in a posh housing complex on Ghodbunder Road, etc, are highlighted in the chargesheet.
Among the evidences gathered against the accused includes phone call records, in which they threatened builders and developers using the name of Kaskar to strike terror in the victims.
It also lists how Sayyed was found occupying one of the four flats when the Thane Police’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) raided the premises in September after the builder filed his complaint.
Police have said that Iqbal Kaskar allegedly sold the other three extorted flats and the money was laundered, which is the subject matter of a separate investigation being conducted by the Enforcement Department, Mumbai since October.
It may be recalled that Iqbal Kaskar was picked up from his home on the night of September 18, when he was enjoying biryani and watching the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ show on television, by Thane AEC Chief Pradeep Sharma and his team.
The development created a major sensation and later the Thane AEC lodged two other cases against him, including one in which the three Kaskar brothers – Dawood, Anees and Iqbal – have been named as accused together for the first time.
Later, Thane Police Commissioner Parambir Singh said Iqbal Kaskar had been running the extortion racket since quite sometime by threatening several realtors in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, and at least three cases have been registered against them so far.
–IANS
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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.