National
Saradha scam: Madan Mitra fails to secure bail yet again
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra, arrested by the CBI in the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam.
Appearing for the Trinamool Congress leader, senior advocate Kapil Sibal pressed for bail, telling the division bench of Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Asha Arora that section 409 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with criminal breach of trust by public servant, was not applicable against Mitra as he was not connected with the Saradha Group.
Asserting that Mitra will neither abscond nor exert any kind of influence on the witnesses, Sibal contended that he was ready to step down as a minister if the court granted him bail.
Vehemently opposing the plea, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) counsel K. Raghavacharyulu said if Mitra was granted bail, he would influence witnesses and hamper investigation.
He contended that it was a result of Mitra’s influence that he continues to be a minister and has been spending most part of his custody in the comforts of a VIP cabin at the government-run SSKM Hospital than being in jail.
After hearing both the parties, the court rejected Mitra’s bail plea.
Charge sheeted for various offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust in the multi-crore scam, Mitra has been behind bars since his arrest on December 12 last year.
Besides the high court, Mitra’s bail pleas have been repeatedly rejected by lower courts.
Meanwhile, the Congress’ West Bengal unit, which has been constantly attacking the ruling Trinamool over the Saradha scam, has expressed its displeasure over senior party leader Sibal representing Mitra.
“It is unfortunate that being a senior leader, Sibal is representing a leader of a party which is neck deep in the scam. It is evident that profession is more dear to Sibal than the party,” said state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
The Bengal Congress had earlier also criticized Sibal for representing Trinamool in a Saradha hearing before the Supreme Court
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.