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Extradite Mallya to India, says London court (Second Lead)

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London, Dec 10 (IANS) Beleaguered industrialist Vijay Mallya must be extradited from the UK to India to stand trial on charges of committing huge bank frauds, a London court ruled on Monday, saying there was no evidence that the prosecution was politically motivated.

“The criticism made of the possible effect of the considerable media attention which would attend a prosecution of Mallya is not significant enough for this court to find he would not have” a fair trial, The Westminster Magistrates Court’s Emma Arbuthnot said.

“There is insufficient evidence for this court to find that he will not be tried by a competent and fair court,” the court said.

The judge also noted that any suggestion that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts in India were too “pliable” when it came to CBI cases “is not borne out by reliable evidence”.

Arbuthnot, a Senior District Judge, said she accepted the Indian government’s contention that because Mallya had such a high profile, his trial would be under great scrutiny.

“I find that Mallya will be able to raise with the court any overly prejudicial publicity… It will not be a trial by politicians. Courts are used to dealing with high profile cases which are accompanied by often ill-advised political commentary.

“I do not accept that the courts in India are there to do what the politicians tell them to do. As I have already said, the court will be under great scrutiny. I do not find any international consensus which would enable me to find that the judges in India are corrupt.”

Referring to defence argument that there was abuse of legal process, the London judge said: “There is no evidence that the prosecution is politically motivated… I find no grounds for finding an abuse of process.”

The judge said she was sending Mallya’s case to the Home Secretary of State for a decision to be taken on whether to order his extradition.

The court ruling came six days after British national and middleman in the Rs 3,600 core AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, Christian Michael, was extradited to India after his arrest in Dubai.

Mallya fled from India in March 2016. But he has repeatedly denied fleeing the country and said he was ready to pay back the money he owed to Indian banks.

Earlier, before appearing in the court, Mallya told reporters: “Whatever the judgement, my legal team will review the judgement if required and take appropriate steps thereafter.”

He said he offered to repay the public sector banks and employees what he owed.

“But that has nothing to do with this extradition decision, this is a completely separate matter.”

Proceedings are on in the Mumbai Special Court against Mallya under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

Late in 2017, India filed extradition proceedings against Mallya which he has contested. He is currently on bail in London.

–IANS
aks/mr/soni

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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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