National
CBI arrests PNB GM, seals Nirav Modi’s Alibaug farmhouse (Roundup)
New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 21 (IANS) The CBI on Wednesday said it has arrested a General Manager-rank officer of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in connection with the Rs 11,300 crore fraud and sealed diamond merchant Nirav Modi’s Alibaug farmhouse in Maharashtra.
Rajesh Jindal, who was holding the charge of Mumbai-based PNB’s Brady House branch between August 2009 and May 2011, was arrested on Tuesday night after daylong questioning in Mumbai.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials said the fraud perpetrated by the issuance of Letters of Understanding (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) by PNB for sanction of loans to diamantire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi’s group of firms took place during Jindal’s tenure.
Jindal, presently posted as GM (Credit) at PNB’s Head Office in New Delhi, was heading the second largest branch of the PNB when the practice of issuing the LoUs without sanctioned limits began.
Jindal is the 12th accused to be arrested in the case so far. He was on Wednesday presented in a special CBI court in Mumbai which sent him to the agency’s custody till March 5, an official said.
The agency also sealed Nirav Modi’s Alibaug farmhouse spread over 1.5 acres near the Mumbai seashore, a day after a search by the CBI there.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is also probing the PNB fraud case separately, on Wednesday carried out searches at 17 locations in Mumbai. It carried out searches at four firms suspected to be shell companies.
Officials connected to the case said the businessman bought the farmhouse in 2004 for Rs 32 crore in his name. “The farmhouse has a palatial bungalow ‘Rouapanya’ spread over 12,000 square feet. It has a swimming pool, library, gym and other luxuries.”
The CBI’s move was part of its multiple raids at residential and office premises of the accused ever since it filed two FIRs on February 14-15 against Nirav Modi and the Gitanjali group of firms respectively.
The agency officials continued to question an Executive Director and General Manager level officials of the Brady House branch along with Modi’s staff and associates, including Saurabh Sharma, who is President of the Foreign Finance Division of Firestar International Pvt Ltd, and Subhash Parab, Finance Executive.
Beside, the agency also examined executive-level officials of Mehul Choksi’s Gitanjali group — Gitanjali Gems Ltd, Gili India Ltd and Nakshatra Brands Ltd.
Earlier on Tuesday, the agency had arrested three employees of Nirav Modi and two of his uncle Mehul Choksi’s Gitanjali Gems and Nakshatra firms.
Nirav Modi’s Firestar International firm’s President Vipul Ambani, its Senior Executive Arjun Patil, and Executive Assistant and authorised signatory of the diamond merchant’s three accused firms, Kavita Mankikar, were arrested on Tuesday.
Chief Financial Officer of Gitanjali group, Kapil Khandelwal, and its Manager Niten Shahi were also held on Tuesday.
Vipul is the son of late Dhirubhai Ambani’s younger brother Natubhai Ambani.
Those arrested on Tuesday were presented in a CBI court on Wednesday and sent in the agency’s custody till March 3.
On Tuesday, the ED officials said over 120 shell companies were allegedly linked to Nirav Modi and Choksi, who along with their respective family members are said to have left the country in early January.
The ED is investigating 79 shell companies owned by the Gitanjali chief and 41 owned by Nirav Modi in India and examining if the money taken from banks was diverted to these shell companies.
–IANS
rak/tsb/bg
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.
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