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League party funds can be permanently seized: Italian court

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Genova, Sep 6 (IANS/AKI) Some 49 million euros of funds can be confiscated from Italy’s far-right League Party after its former leaders including party founder Umberto Bossi were convicted last year in a vast fraud case, a court in Genoa ruled on Thursday.

The Genoa review commission ordered the permanent and final seizure of all bank accounts linked to the party because the funds were unaccounted for in part ledgers.

The League is not thought to have enough reserves to pay the 48.9 million euros of funds from its accounts and businesses belonging to the party and can appeal against each single asset seizure.

League lawyers insist the party currently has only 5.5 million euros, which come from donations, and that they might take the case back to Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation. Other funds may have been shifted abroad to avoid seizure, according to judicial sources.

There were 41,868 euros of League funds deposited in banks according to the party’s 2017 accounts which Adnkronos has seen. However, the ‘League for Salvini’ movement created by party leader Matteo Salvini had 30,431 euros of reserves.

Salvini, who is Italy’s Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, on Thursday appeared unfazed by the Genoa court ruling.

“I’m not upset at all because the case concerns things that happened eight or nine years ago. It’s an affair from the past,” he told reporters.

“If they want to take everything from us, they can go ahead. We’ll have no trouble staying in politics because the Italian people are with us.”

Salvini is said to be mulling a change to the party’s name to avoid the permanent seizure of its funds, according to sources close to the League.

High-ranking League member Giancarlo Giorgetti claimed last week that the confiscation of League funds would finish off the party, which currently governs Italy in coalition with the populist Five-Star Movement.

Bossi, his son Renzo and former treasurer Francesco Belsito were convicted in July 2017 of fraudulently obtaining the 49 million euros of state funds for the then Northern League.

A lower court found the trio guilty of embezzling hundreds of thousands of euros of the public funds in 2008-10 for their personal use.

The Bossis and Belsito were handed jail terms and fined and the League was ordered to repay close to 49 million euros of state financing that it had received.

–IANS/AKI
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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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.

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