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CBI questions ex-Tripura minister in chit fund scam case
Agartala, April 25 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday questioned a former Left Front minister in Tripura in connection with the Kolkata-based Rose Valley chit fund scam case.
The CBI officials will question another senior former Left Front minister on Thursday on the same issue.
“The two CBI officials interrogated former Social Affairs and Social Education Minister Bijita Nath at the MLA Hostel here for about two hours. As the CBI is collecting facts from various states as part of their probe into the Kolkata-based Rose Valley chit fund scam, they also talked to Nath,” the former minister’s lawyer Haribal Debnath told the media.
After the questioning, Nath told the media the officials recorded her statements which she shared with the investigating agency in June last year.
The CBI had earlier told Tripura Assembly Speaker Rebati Mohan Das about their intention to interrogate former Left Front ministers Badal Chowdhury and Bijita Nath.
Chowdhury, a former Finance, Health and PWD Minister, and Nath separately told IANS that they are ready to share any information in connection with cases related to the Rose Valley chit fund scam.
Both the former ministers, currently CPI-M legislators, said that they would cooperate with the CBI officials to probe the chit fund related cases.
The CBI in June 2017 questioned Nath and CPI-M central committee member Gautam Das in connection with the cases of the Rose Valley chit fund scam.
CPI-M central committee member and party’s state secretary Bijan Dhar said it was widely known that the CBI has been used by the ruling parties at the Centre.
“No CPI-M leader and former Left Front ministers were involved with any chit fund organisations,” Dhar told the media adding that “if CBI wants any information from the party leaders they would share, there is no problem in it”.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) separately charged the previous Left Front government with promoting illegal chit fund organisations and unauthorised Non-Banking Financial Organisations (NBFCs) in Tripura.
The erstwhile Left Front government in Tripura had enacted a law in 2000 to deal with the illegal NBFCs and chit fund organisations and since 2016 began confiscating all movable and immovable properties of the Rose Valley chit fund organisation in the state.
The chit fund organisation — Rose Valley — is now under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI, and its sole proprietor and Chairman Gautam Kundu was arrested in Kolkata in 2015.
The Tripura High Court had in 2015 asked the state government to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe unlawful NBFCs and chit fund organisations.
In May 2013, the earlier Left government had referred 37 cases related to chit fund companies and NBFCs to the CBI. The central probe agency, however, took up only five cases.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has also asked the central government to widen the CBI probe into all the chit fund related activities.
“The CBI questioning the CPI-M leaders as per their investigation. There is no question of political vindictiveness in this regards,” Deb told the media on Wednesday.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.