National
ED attaches Rs 2,381-cr assets of Rose Valley Group (Lead)
New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets totalling Rs 2,381 crore of the Rose Valley group of companies which is under investigation for fraudulent collection of money from the public and laundering it, an official said on Thursday.
The seized assets includes 400 immovable properties, including more than 200 acres of land and 15 hotels and resorts located at Mondarmani, Lataguri, Durgapur, Midnapur and Falakata in West Bengal.
The book value of the property attached so far is Rs 1,233 crore (more than Rs 4,200 crore in market value).
This is the biggest single attachment by the ED which is investigating cases against the Rose Valley Group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The group is accused of collecting Rs 17,000 crore in deposits from people illegally on the pretext of exorbitant returns and then routing this money through a complex maze of a large number of companies and accounts under the guise of loans and advances.
The Rose Valley Group, owned by Gautam Kundu, is accused of collecting deposits without complying with the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
The group has since repaid Rs 10,857 crore, including interest of Rs 2,430 crore, though around Rs 8,600 crore was still outstanding, an ED statement said.
“The group did not run any profitable business or did not have any other operational activities to generate revenue and all expenses incurred by them were sourced from the money fraudulently collected from the public.
Arrested by the ED on March 25, 2015, Kundu is in judicial custody. His bail petition has been rejected by the Supreme Court.
–IANS
rak/tsb/bg
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.