National
ED files supplementary chargesheet against Virbhadra Singh (Lead)
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife, accused of money laundering.
The ED has chargesheeted Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh and three others — Chunni Lal Chauhan, Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach — under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The chargesheet was filed before Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, who listed the matter for February 12 for further hearing.
Special Public Prosecutor N.K. Matta told the court that there is enough material on record to proceed against the accused in the case.
Earlier, the ED had filed its first chargesheet against Life Insurance Corporation agent Anand Chauhan, accusing him of investing Virbhadra Singh’s Rs 5.14 crore in LIC policies purchased in his name and those of his family members, including his wife.
A probe had found that Virbahdra Singh had accumulated assets worth Rs 6.03 crore in his name and in the names of his family members, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income, during his tenure as the Union Steel Minister from 2009 to 2011.
ED alleged that Virbhadra Singh with help of his wife and Chauhan indulged in money laundering by investing tainted money in LIC polices in the name of his family members and to show legitimate income arising out of insurance policies.
The amount of some of the policies was used for purchasing a house at Greater Kailash in south Delhi.
An ante-dated MOU dated June 15, 2008 and fake sale vouchers was obtained from Chunni Lal Chauhan, said the ED, alleging that these documents were an attempt at layering to project the tainted properties as untainted.
“Chunni Lal created fake sale proceeds (bills) of Universal Apple Associates showing fictitious sale of apples of Shrikhand orchard, Damrali of Virbhadra Singh to various buyers,” it said, adding that this was confirmed from investigations as the vehicle numbers used for transporting the said apples were not in existence or were of vehicles not capable of transporting apples.
The probe agency also said that claim of Chunni Lal Chauhan regarding payment of Rs 1 crore to various buyers is false.
Pratibha Singh knew Anand Chauhan from a long time and utilised his service of LIC agent to invest proceeds of crime of Virbhadra Singh in LIC policies.
Similarly, Roach and Prem Raj knowingly assisted Virbhadra Singh and others in projection of proceeds of crime as untainted by involving himself in execution of ante-dated MOU by signing it is as an witness. The three judicial papers utilised in the purported MOU dated June 15, 2008 were also not in existence and they were dispatched from the Himachal Government Press after August 25, 2008.
–IANS
akk-rak/vd
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.