National
Conditional bail for Karnataka minister in tax evasion cases
Bengaluru, March 22 (IANS) A special court on Thursday granted a conditional bail to Karnataka Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly destroying evidence in three income tax evasion cases.
Economic Offences Wing Court judge Justice M.S. Alva granted conditional bail to Shivakumar on Rs 1 lakh personal bond and Rs 25,000 sureties by two persons, Additional Solicitor General P. Navalgadi told reporters here.
The investigation wing of the Karnataka-Goa region’s Income Tax Department found evidence of the senior minister destroying evidence during a raid by its sleuths at a private resort in August first week last year.
Arguing against granting the bail, Navalgadi told the court that the minister had admitted to have torn a paper in which details of money trail were noted while investigation into tax evasion was in progress.
Shivakumar’s counsel M.V. Seshachala, however, said the sum of the amount noted in the paper was not the same as in the money trail being investigated.
“As the cases of economic offences were bailable and the allegation of destroying evidence are taken up during the trail, we have requested the court to grant bail to Shivakumar,” he told reporters.
The IT Department directed the 55-year-old Congress lawmaker to appear before the special court in connection with the illegal properties seized during the searches at his residences in Bengaluru, Kanakapura and Mysuru and New Delhi from August 2-5, 2017.
Shivakumar is the legislator from the Kanakapura in Ramanagara district. As per the declaration in the nomination to the Election Commission for the 2013 assembly election, Shivakumar was then the second richest politician in the state, with assets valued at Rs 251 crore.
–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.