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Kolkata police raid company linked to ex-CBI interim director’s wife
Kolkata, Feb 8 (IANS) The Kolkata police on Friday raided two premises – one in the city and another in the posh satellite township of Salt Lake – of a company, allegedly linked to former interim Central Bureau of Investigation director M Nageshwar Rao.
Rao, however, denied any link with the said company Angela Mercantile Pvt Ltd.
A team of Kolkata police officers was conducting a search operation at Angelina Mercantile’s office in Clive Row in the Dalhousie area of the city, sources said.
Sources said Rao’s wife M Sandhya and another relative were involved in some financial transaction with the company.
A complaint had been filed in the Bowbazar police station regarding the company.
Another group of officers conducted raid at the residence-cum-office of the company owned by one Praveen Agarwal.
A senior police officer, however, denied any link between the raid and Rao, saying the company was being raided as the owner has not “registered his firm” as per law.
Rao, on the other hand, issued a press statement, which he had earlier given to the media on October 30, last year, saying his wife had in 2010 taken a loan of Rs 25 lakh from the company owned by Agarwal, “a long time family friend”.
She used the money to buy a property in Guntur, and in 2011 sold off her ancestral agricultural land and transferred the money to Angela Maercantile, which deducted the earlier loan, added interest and returned the excess amount to her in 2014.
“Due intimation was given to competent authorities about borrowing of the property immediately… The question of any unaccounted money does not arise at all,” he said in the statement.
The development comes a day before Kolkata police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar is slated to be questioned by a crack team of CBI officials in Shillong in connection with the ponzi scheme scam.
Kumar had headed the Special Investigation Team set up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha ponzi scheme scam after it came to light in 2013. A year later, the Supreme Court handed over the scam investigation to the CBI.
The CBI has alleged that Kumar destroyed, destructed and tampered with material evidence in the form of call detail records of the prime accused and potential accused persons.
In an affidavit before the Supreme Court, the CBI has also claimed that there are large number of hard discs and other material in Kumar’s possession.
There was an ugly face-off between the CBI and the Kolkata police on February 3 when the federal agency officers showed up near his house to question him.
The issue snowballed when chief minister Mamata Banerjee started a sit-in in a bid to “save the constitution and federal structure of the country”.
The Supreme Court on February 5 directed Kumar to present himself before the CBI for questioning in Shillong and asked him to cooperate with the agency. It has also directed the CBI not to use any coercive methods including arrest against him.
–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.