Odisha train tragedy: Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is facing several cases of extortion, has written a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urging him to accept a donation of Rs 10 crore for victims of the Odisha train accident. In a letter addressed to Vaishnaw, Sukesh said the contribution is from his personal fund which is from his "legitimate source" of earning.
"The said contribution is from my personal funds which is from my legitimate source of earning, which is, completely taxed, and the documentation along with returns filings shall be furnished along with the said demand draft of Rs 10 crore," Chandrashekhar, who is currently lodged at the Mandoli Jail, said in the letter written on Friday.
‘Responsible and good citizen’
Sukesh further said that as a responsible and good citizen, he is contributing this fund to be used specifically for those families/children, who have lost their loved one. He said the fund can be used for the education of children who lost their parents in the accident.
"As our government is already providing all the needful to the affected, I, as a responsible and good citizen, am contributing this fund of Rs 10 crore to be used specifically for those families/children, our future youth, who have lost their loved one/ breadwinners of their family towards their education expenses. "The contribution to be specifically used for that every child of the deceased for their education expenses, be it school, high school, college education," he said.
'Accept the contribution'
"As per this very minimum on daily basis my organisation namely Sharadha Foundation, Chandrashekhar Cancer Foundation, LS Education, has been contributing for sections of health care, education and mainly food contribution, for the needy, to make sure no one goes hungry, across five states of Southern India. "Sir I humbly, as mentioned, request to accept the contribution for the said purpose, specifically and kindly direct us the details of the concerned department. The Demand Draft should be prepared so that the same shall be prepared immediately and submitted by us on priority," he concluded.
Sukesh is accused of cheating many people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh. He and his associates reportedly took money from Aditi posing as government officials and promising to secure bail for her husband who was in jail in a money laundering case.
Death toll increases to 290
The toll in the Bahanaga Bazar train disaster rose to 290 after a 17-year-old resident of Bihar succumbed to his injuries in SCB Medical College and Hospital here on Friday, officials said.
Prakash Ram, who was travelling in the ill-fated Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express on June 2 when it met with the accident, was undergoing treatment at the surgery ward of the state-run hospital, he said. He had sustained severe head and leg injuries, besides internal injuries and was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. A portion of his left leg was amputated below the knee but his condition deteriorated during the past few days, the hospital authority said.
Meanwhile, the identities of the bodies of 81 victims preserved at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, are yet to be ascertained. The claimants are waiting for DNA test reports. A total of 78 families have been given DNA samples.
The Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah-bound SMVP Superfast Express from Bengaluru and a goods train were involved in one of the country's worst rail accidents near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2.
(With agencies input)
