National
RJD Lalu Prasad convicted in fodder scam case (Lead)
Ranchi, Jan 24 (IANS) A special court on Wednesday convicted former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra and former Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sajjal Chkravarty in another fodder scam case.
The special Central Bureau of Investigation court of Judge S.S. Prasad pronounced the judgment related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 33.67 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in 1992-1993.
It was alleged that the Rs 33.67-crore was withdrawn on fake allotment letters.
The special CBI court convicted 50 people and acquitted six in this case.
This is third case in the fodder scam in which Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad has been convicted. For Jagnnath Mishra and Sajjal Chkravarty this is the second fodder scam case in which they have been convicted.
There were total 76 accused in the case and 15 died during trial while five turned CBI approver.
Talking to reporters, Lalu Prasad’s son Tejashwi Yadav said “This is not the final court. We will move High Court.”
Lalu Prasad is lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi as he was convicted on December 23, 2017 and awarded three and half years of imprisonment on January 6 in the fodder scam related to the Deoghar Treasury.
The RJD chief was convicted in the fodder scam case for the first time in 2013 and he was awarded five years imprisonment.
The multi-million fodder scam case surfaced in the undivided Bihar in the 1990s.
A Patna High Court directive ordered the case probe to be handed over to the CBI. The allegation against Lalu Prasad is that he ignored the scam reports in his capacity as the Finance Minister.
–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.