National
Louis Berger case: Goa Crime Branch finally quizzes ex-CM
Panaji: Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat was on Wednesday quizzed by state police Crime Branch officials in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case. Former minister Churchill Alemao was also questioned over the same case.
Kamat, who on Tuesday dodged a police summon for questioning by investigators in the case, insisted he was “innocent”.
“I am firm about what I have been saying from day one. I have done nothing wrong. The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) file did not come to me,” Kamat said while emerging from the Crime Branch office after being questioned for nearly two hours, including for some time in the presence of Anand Wachasunder who was arrested earlier this week.
Wachasunder was a key official in charge of the graft-tainted water and sewerage management project.
Former senior officials of the New Jersey-based consultancy firm have pleaded guilty before a US Court to offering bribes of $3.9 million to secure contracts in countries like India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kuwait.
While the settlement announced by the US Justice Department did not identify the politicians and officials offered the bribes, the documents revealed that $976,630 in bribes was paid during 2009-2010 to a Goa minister and other officials to secure the water and sewerage management project.
Louis Berger, in an official statement, maintained that the bribe was given by rogue officials and had no sanction from the company.
Louis Berger was part of a consortium that eventually won a contract to execute a water and sewerage project in Goa, funded by JICA.
Crime Branch officials claim, off the record, that they have already recorded the statements of former Indian officials of the US-based company, who have supervised the delivery of the bribe money in instalments allegedly to Alemao and Kamat.
Earlier in the day, Crime Branch officials quizzed former Public Works Department minister Churchill Alemao for the second time, before questioning Kamat.
Police sources said they confronted Kamat with facts revealed to them during interrogation of Wachasundar over the last two days.
“We already have statements that the bribes were accepted. Now what remains to be established is the documentation and movement of file on the consultancy deal,” an official familiar with the probe said.
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.