Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is charged with multiple counts of extortion, in a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking his permission to donate Rs 10 crore for the victims of the Odisha train accident.
Sukesh said in a letter to the minister that the donation came from his “legitimate source” of income, which is his personal money.
The fund can be utilised for the education of children who lost their parents in the accident, according to Sukesh, who is currently lodged in jail.
This month’s devastating triple-train accident in Balasore, Odisha, resulted in up to 288 fatalities and over 1,200 injuries. Following a recommendation from Railways, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched an investigation into the accident.
Terming the train accident an “unfortunate mishap”, Sukesh said the tragedy has completely taken him on. “My heart and prayers are with all those sisters and brothers and their families,” he said.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Railways for taking quick action. Sukesh further added that “it’s a very proud feeling to see our government under the leadership of the Prime Minister, who personally took control of the situation.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar is being charged with extorting money from politicians, celebrities, and businessmen. He has a track record of duping several well known personalities, such as pharma company Ranbaxy owner Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh of Rs 200 crore, and he was responsible for duping Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez.