National
Kerala court trashes clean chit to Mani, orders fresh probe
Thiruvananthapuram: The Special Vigilance Court here on Thursday quashed the clean chit the vigilance department gave to state Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the alleged bar scam and asked for a further probe.
Reacting to the verdict, Mani welcomed further probe into the case.
“I have always wanted the truth to come out and now I am happy that the court has asked for a further probe and let the final verdict come. I always wanted this because, if the court had not asked for a further probe, then there could have risen other arguments,” said Mani.
The court issued the order after looking into seven petitions filed for a further probe.
The case began last October when bar owner Biju Ramesh claimed that Mani was given Rs.1 crore as bribe by the Kerala Bar Owners’ Association to reopen a total of 418 bars that were shut down in the state under the new excise policy.
Following a letter to the vigilance director, the Kerala government ordered a probe against Mani and following a quick verification, a case was registered naming Mani as the first accused.
After seven months of probe, the vigilance department found that there was not enough evidence against Mani and it filed the closure report.
With the local body polls to be held on November 2 and 5, as soon as the vigilance court direction came top Left opposition leaders, including former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan and CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, asked Mani to quit. Balakrishnan also demanded Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s resignation.
“In no way I am going to step down because there have been precedents of even chief minister and ministers remaining in office. So, we will wait for the final report,” said Mani.
Following the court direction for re-investigation of the case against Mani, Vigilance director Vinson M. Paul, a director general of police rank officer who gave the finance minister a clean chit, informed the media here that he is proceeding on leave.
“I am going on leave for a while, for which I am applying to the government. There is no feeling of guilt and it’s not because of that I am going on leave. With regards to the case, I have only followed the procedures,” said Paul.
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.