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Sarkozy says no evidence against him in Libya funding probe (Lead)

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Paris, March 22 (IANS) Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday there is no evidence to support allegations that he illegally accepted money from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 election campaign.

“I am accused without any physical evidence,” Sarkozy told magistrates, according to Le Figaro newspaper.

The 63-year-old former President was placed under formal investigation for the illicit election campaign financing, misappropriation of Libyan public funds and passive corruption. However, the leader of France from 2007 till 2012 denied any wrongdoing and said that the allegations were making his life “hell”.

The centre-right politician, who was in police custody being questioned for two days this week, said his Libyan accusers were seeking vengeance for his decision to deploy French warplanes during the uprising which overthrew Gaddafi in 2011, the BBC reported.

Sarkozy said in a statement to the court said he was aware the allegations against him were “serious”, but that they amounted to “slander”. He was allowed home on Wednesday night under bail conditions.

The former President was also been placed under judicial supervision, a step investigators in France take to limit the movements of a suspect, CNN reported citing a source. It was not clear what specific restrictions were placed on him.

In July 2012, shortly after he was ousted from office by the Socialist François Hollande, police raided Sarkozy’s home as part of an investigation into alleged illegal assistance from L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt during the 2007 election campaign.

Those charges were dropped in 2013, but another investigation was opened the following year, and in February 2017 a judge ordered Sarkozy to face trial.

That came after an embarrassing loss for Sarkozy as an attempt to return to frontline politics saw him finish third in the Republican party’s presidential primary.

Jean-Yves Dupeux, attorney for Brice Hortefeux — a former Interior Minister under Sarkozy who spent 15 hours on Tuesday being grilled by the same anti-corruption investigators — told the BFMTV channel that the police fired at least 200 questions at his client, who categorically denied that Sarkozy had benefited from Libyan campaign financing.

Sarkozy vehemently denied the allegations, including ones levelled by Ziad Takieddine, a French-Lebanese businessman and arms broker.

In November 2016, Takieddine told French news website Mediapart that he personally transported $6 million in cash from Tripoli to Paris and hand-delivered those funds to Sarkozy, the Interior Minister at the time, and to Claude Gueant.

Gueant, who was the director of Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign, is also facing charges in the Libyan funding case.

Other evidence against Sarkozy included a document published in April 2012 by Mediapart and allegedly drafted in December 2006 by Moussa Koussa, the former head of Libya’s intelligence service.

That document, which Sarkozy called a “forgery”, pledged to provide 50 million euros for Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign.

France launched an investigation into the allegations the following year.

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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