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Nirav Modi aide Vipul was aware of fraud LoUs: CBI

Published

7 years ago

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By Anand Singh
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) Vipul Ambani, an arrested aide of fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi, knew about the fraudulent and illegal Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) issued by the Punjab National Bank in the Rs 11,300 crore fraud, CBI officials said on Wednesday.

The LoUs were allegedly signed by Gokulnath Shetty, who retired as Deputy Manager of the bank in May 2017. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have launched a major probe and manhunt in one of the biggest financial scams in India that has shaken the country’s banking sector.

Ambani was arrested on Tuesday and is being continuously grilled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in Mumbai.

“Ambani was fully aware of the fraudulent and illegal LoUs issued by Shetty who was a deputy manager at PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai. (This was being done) in conspiracy and (under the) guidance of Nirav Modi and other employees of his firm,” a senior CBI official told IANS in New Delhi.

The CBI official said the agency during its probe found that Ambani not only visited and met PNB’s officials at the Brady House branch but also met other bank officials in Mumbai and New Delhi.

The official also said that they have seized documents during searches at the office of Firestar at Peninsula Business Park in Mumbai’s Lower Parel that “prove” that Ambani knew what was being done.

The documents include applications for LoUs made to PNB by the three firms of Nirav Modi — Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds.

The agency officials said Ambani’s recorded statements failed to prove that he may not have been looking into the affairs of these firms.

“These documents and circumstances prove his knowledge of fraudulent application for LOUs,” the official said.

He said the LoUs were in fact being made in the premises of Firestar and that there were “deliberate acts of omission by him by not protesting the issuance of such fraudulent LoUs”.

“This led to the continuance of concealment and large scale fraud in this case on PNB and loss and diversion of thousands of crores of public funds. The facts prove his part in this sinister conspiracy to cheat PNB.”

Also arrested in the case are senior executive Arjun Patil and authorised signatory of the diamond merchant Kavita Mankikar, Chief Managing Officer (CFO) of Gitanjali group Kapil Khandelwal and its Manager Niten Shahi on Tuesday.

The CBI also arrested Bechhu B. Tiwari, the PNB’s Chief Manager who was in-charge of the Forex Department, Yashwant Joshi, a Scale II Manager in the same department and Praful Sawant, a Scale I Officer in the Exports section.

Last Saturday the CBI arrested three persons, including two retired PNB officials – former DGM Gokulnath Shetty and Single Window Operator Manoj Kharat, besides Hemant Bhatt, another authorised signatory for the Nirav Modi Group.

The officials also said the arrested officials of the Nirav Modi companies were not cooperating with the agency.

The agency also arrested Rajesh Jindal on Tuesday night. He was PNB’s Brady House branch manager between 2010 and 2011. Jindal has denied his involvement in the issuance of LOUs to the firms of Modi.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

Published

2 months ago

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September 19, 2024

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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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