First India-Mumbai Edition-24th November 2022

Mumbai: Aditya Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena Uddhav Bal asaheb Thackeray and former minister in Ma harashtra government, was on a one day visit to Bihar on Wednesday and met Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. He also met Bihar CM Nit ish Kumar. After the meeting, Aditya Thack

eray said that he is meeting Tejashwi Ya dav for the first time.

“All the youth of the country should come together. There is an is sue of unemployment in our country, it should be raised prom inently,” he said.

Interestingly, Tejash wi had a surprise up his sleeve as he ar

FORGING NEW ALLIANCE?

ish and Aditya was not part of the Maharash trian leader’s plan.

—Aditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) leader Aditya Thackeray and party MP Priyanka Chaturvedi being greeted by Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav during a meeting, in Patna —PHOTO BY PTI

PM Modi addresses public meetings in Gujarat’s Mehsana, Dahod, Vadodara & Bhavnagar

First India Bureau

Prime Minis ter Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed public meeting in

Gujarat’s electronic policy will attract thou sands of crores of rupees in investments. This electronic policy will also create 10 lakh new employment opportunities in Gujarat.

Consumed alcohol and tripped: CBI on Disha case

Mumbai: In the death

case of late actor Sush ant Singh Rajput’s man ager - Disha Salian - the CBI has concluded that the 28 year old female’s death was accidental and not a murder. The agency has stressed that perhaps she lost balance in an inebriat ed condition and slipped from the para pet of her flat leading to her death.

The probe revealed that Salian had been organ izing get togethers few days prior to her birth day and the party on

June 8 was also part of festivities. On the night, the woman consumed alcohol and lost her bal ance due to which she slipped and fell 14 floors.

Mumbai: A few days ago, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who was in controversies re garding his statement on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, took a U-turn on Wednesday and gave a statement praising the works of Shivaji. Speaking at an event, he glorified the works of Chhatrapati Shivrai, and said that due to the efforts of Shivrai and Maharana Pratap, India stands proud in the world. He has also said that the culture of India

Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s gesture of taking along antiNarmada activist Med ha Patkar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra is the “biggest insult” meted out to Gujarat’s people by the Opposition party.

He was addressing a poll rally in Jasdan town in Rajkot district in sup port of BJP candidate Kunvarji Bavalia for the next month’s Gujarat Assembly elections.

Shah also slammed AAP leader Arvind Ke jriwal for giving a ticket to Patkar in the 2014 LS elections from the NE Mumbai constituency.

HM Amit Shah addresses public meeting in Rajkot

on Wednesday.

ranged a meet between Thackeray and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and took Aditya with him to meet Nitish. Accord ing to the information, the meet between Nit

Aditya Thackeray stood with Tejashwi and talked to reporters after meeting the CM. During this, he said that every meeting is not political. “It was a meeting of the youth leaders and we have also invited Tejashwi to come to Mumbai. This meeting has given birth to a new friendship,” he said.

In the morning be fore leaving for Bihar,

Thackeray while talk ing to reporters at Mumbai airport, said that this is a meeting between two leaders of the same age. “We have talked on the phone many times, but today we will meet personal ly,” he said. Aditya may have called it a person al meeting, but politi cal analysts are look ing at it from the point of view of changing the politics of Maha rashtra and strength ening the Shiv Sena again.

FADNAVIS’S LETTER BOMB corners Uddhav led MVA!

Mumbai: In what could be termed as a major revelation in the Shraddha Walker murder case, Maha rashtra Dy CM Deven dra Fadnavis, on Wednesday, made star tling revelations on which, if, the Mumbai police had acted upon, the woman’s life could have been saved! Fad navis presented a let ter, questioning the then Uddhav Thack eray led MVA govern ment, stating that in 2020, Shraddha Walker had written a letter to the Maharashtra Po lice, for threats to her life from Aftab.

“I have also received that letter. Shraddha’s letter had a serious tone. But why action was not taken against him (Aftab) is not known. There should have been a serious in vestigation in this matter,” Fadnavis said.

Shraddha Walker

been indirectly im posed on the Home Ministry and Police Departments in the

Shraddha wrote this letter on November 23, 2020. But the then po lice establishment did not take it seriously. The woman had strat ed in the letter that she was not ready to live with Aftab. In fact, she went on to stress that Aftab had tried to choke her and also is sued death threats to her.

BJP’S SHELAR SEEKS PROBE IF LETTER WAS SUPPRESSED

Mumbai: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Wednesday questioned the alleged failure of Maha rashtra Police in taking strong action on Shraddha's complaint. He demanded the police probe whether Walkar's letter had been deliberately suppressed and if the police were under pressure to not inves tigate her complaint. "Why did the Maharashtra Police not take any action on her (Walkar's) letter? Was it because Shraddha's last name was Walkar or because he (the accused's name is) Aaftab? Or was it because the chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) was supported by NCP and Congress in office?" Had there been timely intervention, Walkar would have survived, he said. "I urge the police to investigate whether this letter or investigation was deliberately suppressed," he said.

—Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

is eternal.

He also expressed the opinion that in India people like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chan dra Bose along with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have enriched the country.

“India is proud in the world today only be cause of the revolution ary people of India,” he said and also expressed the opinion that the country’s culture is im mortal in the world be cause of these revolu tionary people. Koshy

ari compared Chhatrapati Shivaji and Nitin Gadkari, Sharad Pawar a few days ago after which a huge controversy broke out in the state wherein Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP fiercely at

This allegation has

SHIVAJI REMARKS

With his Delhi visit on cards, Koshyari tries to douse fire! Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Maharashtra Governor www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia MUMBAI l THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 197 OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI & MUMBAI BSE SENSEX 18,267.25 3.05 | NSE NIFTY 61,510.58 91.62 FRESH WARRANT ISSUED AGAINST YASIN MALIK BY THE TADA COURT VETERAN ACTOR VIKRAM GOKHALE PASSES AWAY AT 82

Nationalist Con gress Party leader Ajit Pawar claimed on Wednesday. While expressing disap proval about Koshyari’s recent remarks about Shivaji Maharaj, he also wondered if Koshyari was making such contro versial statements only to force the Union government to shift him out of Maharashtra. “Many times when I vis ited governor Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, he told me in as many words that he wanted to leave the state,” Pawar said, ading, “I even asked him to convey this to his seniors so that they consider his wish.”

MAHA GOVERNOR TAKES U-TURN ON

Disha Salian

In India people like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose along with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have enriched the country. India is proud in the world today only because of the revolutionary people of India.

WATCH

Aditya meet Tejashwi in Bihar, says it is start of a new friendship

Tejashwi surprises the Thackeray scion as he plans an impromptu meet between Nitish and Aditya

All the youth of the coun try should come to gether. There is an issue of unemploy ment in our coun try, it should be raised prominently.

Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

GOVERNOR KOSHYARI WANTS TO LEAVE MAHARASHTRA: AJIT PAWAR

issues a fresh

TOP BRASS

BJP’S

—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

PM Narendra Modi is being garlanded by BJP supporters during a public meeting, in Mehsana on Wednesday. PHOTOS BY ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being embraced by a 103-year-old supporter during a public meeting, in Dahod on Wednesday.

Amit Shah targets RaGa, says Patkar’s presence in Yatra is insult to Gujarat

The foundation stone of Sardar Sarovar dam was laid by India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru in 1963, one year before my birth. The water finally reached here when I turned 58. So who stalled the Narmada project? The Congress party had stalled this proj ect from 1963 till 2002.

P4

Guja rat’s Mehsana. Slam ming Congress, PM said, “The Congress model means corruption, nepo tism, dynastic politics, sectarianism & casteism. They are known for in dulging in vote bank politics and creating rifts between people to be in power. This model has not only destroyed Gujarat but India too. That is the reason why we have to work hard to take India ahead today.”

NO MAHA VILLAGE WILL GO ANYWHERE: DCM FADNAVIS

Assures no border villages have passed resolution to join Karnataka

First India Bureau

Nagpur/Mumbai: Putting an end to speculation on the border village merger row, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednes day said no village in Maharashtra has sought merger with Karnataka recently. He also said that there is no question of any border village “going anywhere”.

On Tuesday, Karna taka Chief Minister Ba savaraj Bommai had claimed that some vil lage panchayats in Jat taluka of Sangli district had passed a resolution in the past seeking to merge with Karnataka when they were facing a severe water crisis.

The Karnataka gov ernment had devised schemes to help them by providing water, and his government was se riously considering the proposal of Jat villages, he said.

“These villages had introduced a resolution on the issue of water scarcity in 2012. Pres ently, none of the villag

CRUCIAL READ

EARTHQUAKE OF MAGNITUDE 3.6

FELT NEAR NASHIK

Nashik: An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 on the Richter Scale was felt near Nashik in the early hours of Wednesday, informed the National Center for Seismology (NCS). According to the NCS, the movement of tectonic plates under the earth's surface was felt around 4 am in 89 kilometres west of Nashik. The depth of the earthquake was 5 km below the ground.

LEOPARD STRAYS INTO NASHIK

LOCALITY, RESCUED

Nashik: A leopard was rescued from a denselypopulated area in Nashik city hours after it was spotted there, officials said on Wednesday. The feline had entered Ayesha Nagar locality in Vadala Road area around 9.30 pm on Tuesday, and was caged shortly after midnight on Wednesday, they said. "The leopard entered the bungalow of one Ejaz Qazi in the area.

It sat under a car parked in the parking area of the house. The presence of the big cat triggered panic in the locality," an official said.

5 DEVELOPERS

HELD FOR ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES

Thane: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities in carrying out constructions in the limits of Kalyan Dombivali civic body areas in Thane district on Wednesday arrested five developers, police said. The SIT has so far arrested 15 persons.

Two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against several developers and middlemen for fabricating the permissions and cheating the KDMC and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) authorities.

‘Maha delegation to meet PM, UHM soon’

Mumbai: Dismissing Karnataka CM’s claims, state Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai on Wednesday said that a delegation of the state government will soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on its border dispute with Karna taka, said state on Wednesday. His statement came after Karnataka had formed a lawyers’ team to fight the matter in the court. The Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra has already appointed ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai to coordinate with a legal team regarding the court case on the issue. “Our deputation will soon meet the PM and HM. Karnataka is fighting its battle. We will fight ours. We will demand justice for Maharashtra from them (PM and HM),” he said. The decades-old border dispute over Belagavi (earlier Belgaum) between Maharashtra and Karnataka is in news again due to recent statements from both sides.

es have introduced any resolution,” Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur.

When he became Ma harashtra chief minis ter, his government en

the deputy CM.

A water supply scheme was chalked out for the Jat villages when Girish Mahajan was wa ter resources minister in his cabinet, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added.

“We are now going to give approval to that scheme. Perhaps be cause of COVID-19, the previous (Uddhav Thackeray-led) govern ment could not approve it,” Fadnavis added.

“Presently, none of the villages have raised such a demand (of merger with Karnata ka). The demand is of 2012,” he said.

“Not a single village of Maharashtra will go anywhere,” Fadnavis stressed.

Meanwhile, Sudhir Mungantiwar, BJP leader and Maharash tra state minister, blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for the longpending dispute.

‘Shivshakti’ &

unite; NCP’s Ajit Pawar enters fray for Dalit votes

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Having been ‘culled’ off its former strength, after 40 MLAs broke away to form their own gov ernment with the Bharatiya Janata Par ty (BJP), it appears that Shiv Sena - Ud dhav Balasaheb Thackeray is trying to regain its lost glory.

According to sources, the faction is now making all attempts necessary to woo the ‘Bhim’ voters ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corpora tion (BMC) polls.

During the launch of website Prabod hankarThackeray.com, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray shared the stage with Vanchit Ba hujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar. This gave way to rumours of Se na’s intention to lure Dalit community voters in upcoming elections.

tered into an agreement with Karnataka to sort out the water issue, said

35 illegal structures along Navale bridge roads razed

Pune: At least 35 ille gal structures were razed on service roads along the Nav ale bridge on Mum bai-Bengaluru high way in Pune where a truck had hit several vehicles and caused a pile-up on late Sun day evening.

The accident prompted authorities to take short-term measures, which in cluded removal of all the encroached struc tures in the area.

“Thirty five struc tures such as paan stalls, temporary sheds outside eateries, some concrete structures, concrete porch ways outside hotels between Swaminarayan temple and Navale bridge along the service roads of the highway were demolished on Tues day,” a police official said.

At least 24 vehicles were damaged when the truck hit multiple vehicles on the down ward slope of the Nav ale bridge on the PuneBengaluru highway in the district, injuring more than 20 people,

eight of whom were hospitalized, an offi cial had said.

In another accident, a truck hit a divider and rammed into a car from behind near the Navale bridge on Tuesday, but no one was injured.

“The dispute be tween Maharashtra and Karnataka is actu ally the gift of late Prime Minister Jawa harlal Nehru,” he said without elaborating.

In his address during the programme, Thack eray appealed to Ambed kar to foray into politics. Later, while addressing the media, Prakash Ambedkar responded to Uddhav’s appeal and an nounced that he would

support the Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena in elections. As a result of the revelation, Maha rashtra’s political cir cuit is abuzz about the unity of “Shivshakti” and “Bhimshakti”.

However, former Na tionalist Congress Par ty (NCP) leader Ajit Pa war has also declared that he is ready for an alliance with Ambed kar. “We are ready if like-minded people come together to defeat the opposite ruling par ty and do not allow divi

sion of votes. But only one-sided preparation will not work. Both sides have to be ready. We are always ready to discuss with Prakash Ambedkar”, said Pawar at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday. Political observers now believe that there may be an internal tus sle going on within the MVA ‘bretheren’ to woo Dalit voters of the state, with the aim to gain a larger share in the elec torate and further their own party’s cause. Ana lysts believe that in the coming days, if the NCP continues its stand, it could dampen the bond it had with Shiv Sena (Thackeray) leading to a difficult situation for the opposition parties.

Maha FDA asks drug controller authorities to stop use of drug

Pune (PTI): The Ma harashtra Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has asked all drug controller au thorities in the coun try to stop the use of a particular batch of drug INJ Orofer FCM following the death of a patient at a Mum bai hospital.

A person died at Sai fee Hospital in Mumbai due to suspected adverse drug reaction of the drug, said a senior offi cial from FDA’s Pune division on Wednesday.

Orofer FCM injection is used to treat iron de ficiency anaemia.

Emcure Pharmaceu ticals, the manufactur er, was asked to recall the particular batch of the drug, said SB Patil, Joint Commissioner (Drugs) FDA.

The death of a person at Saifee Hospital was due to suspected ad verse reaction of this

TALENT DISPLAY

drug, he said.

As per the company, there could be spurious drugs available in the market in the name of INJ OROFER and be cause of such spurious drug the suspected ad verse reaction might have taken place, he said.

“Mumbai FDA team is carrying out a probe in the matter,” Patil said, adding that samples from the batch of the drug have been collected from the distributors and sent for analysis.

Banned tobacco products worth `1

seized in from tempo in Thane dist

Thane (PTI): Maha rashtra’s Food and Drug Administra tion (FDA) has seized banned to bacco products, in cluding gutkha, worth Rs1.08 crore from a tempo in Thane district, an official said on Wednesday.

The tempo in which the products were being trans ported was impound ed and its driver de tained, he said.

Joint Commission er of FDA Suresh Deshmukh said act ing on a tip-off that banned gutkha and other tobacco prod ucts were being smug

gled into Thane dis trict, officials of the health regulator and local police personnel laid a trap on Tuesday at Kawad village un der Bhiwandi taluka. They spotted a tempo passing through and stopped it. A search of the ve hicle led to the recov ery of banned gut kha and tobacco products worth Rs1.08 crore, he said.

Ulhasnagar MLA to organize ‘Happy Street’ on Nov 27

tional activities—such as singing, dancing, Zumba, skating, yoga, self-defense, kickbox ing, karate, mal lakhamb and much more.

Happy Streets in large numbers.

Thane: Ulhasnagar MLA Kumar Ailani will organize ‘Happy Streets’ at Gol Maid an area of Ulhasna gar on November 27 from 7 to 10 am.

Ailani has appealed to the people of Ulhas nagar to participate in

The objective of the event is to provide a platform for the resi dents of Ulhasnagar to come out of their homes and encourage them to display their art.

The ‘Happy Streets’ initiative will allow peo ple to indulge in recrea

People of all agegroups can participate in this initiative for free of cost and also exhibit their art by taking part in it for free.

A number of yoga in stitutes, religious and spiritual organizations of the city are trying to make this initiative a success.

Talking about the programme, MLA Ku mar Ailani said, “We have appealed and re quested all the people of the Ulhasnagar to participate in the ‘Hap py Streets’ event.”

Mumbai police or ganizes a similar initia tive every Sunday at Nariman Point in the city. Vehicular move ment is blocked on the street for a few hours starting 7 am and peo ple indulge in various activities without any incoming traffic.

First India Bureau

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

–FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau

Objective of the event is to provide a platform to local residents to come out of their homes, encourage them to indulge in recreational activities

Ulhasnagar

crore

Move comes after patient’s death at Mumbai hospital due to adverse reaction

Shiv Sena - UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray in a conversation with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi prez Prakash Ambedkar at the re-launch of ‘prabhodhankar.com’ in Mumbai on Sunday. —PHOTO BY ANI

VBA prez

Prakash Ambedkar announces support for Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena

Sunday’s accident prompted authorities to take short-term measures which included the removal of encroached structures in the area

SC to hear Mumbai’s Aarey Colony tree felling case on November 24

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The Su preme Court has said that it will hear the matter pertain ing to the felling of trees at Mumbai’s Aarey Colony—the site for a Metro car shed project—on Thursday.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Jus tices Hima Kohli and

JB Pardiwala took note of the submis sions of Solicitor Gen eral Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) that there was a need to fell 84 trees.

The law officer said to let the tree felling committee decide on the request of MMRCL on cutting of the tree and the decision would

2 Sarus cranes die; forest dept suspects electric shock

Bureau

Gondia: Forest offi cials suspect electro cution as the reason for the death of a pair of Sarus cranes, which were found in a paddy farm in the district.

Forest personnel rushed to the spot after being alerted on Tues day, and found the car casses of the two cranes under an electricity transmission line pass ing through the paddy field in Kamtha village, Assistant Conservation of Forest Rajendra Sad gir, said in a release.

According to Sadgir, it indicated that the birds could have come in contact with a live wire, adding that they have launched an in quiry into the incident.

Sarus crane is the tall est flying bird in the world and its numbers

Numbers of the tallest flying bird in the world are dwindling in Gondia district, say wildlife experts

are dwindling in Gondia, say wildlife ex perts. They had brought a new identity to Gondia, with a large number of people from the Vidarbha region and other places coming to watch them.

They are also listed as a vulnerable species in the International Un ion for Conservation of Nature’s red list.

After the two carcass es were found on Tues day, a senior engineer of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited was summoned to the spot, the forest official said.

be dependent on the order of this court.

A senior advocate appearing for those op posed to felling of trees said they have also filed an interim plea.

“We will deal with these two IAs (interim applications) tomor row,” the bench said.

The MMRCL had on August 05 this year told the apex court that no trees have been

A SC bench took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the MMRCL that there was a need to fell 84 trees

cut in Aarey colony since October 2019.

Bail to man accused of raping minor GF

On August 24, the top court had directed the MMRCL to strictly abide by its undertak ing that no trees will be cut there and warned that any viola tion would result in strict action.

The apex court had in 2019 taken suo motu (on its own) cogni zance of a letter peti tion addressed to the Chief Justice of India by law student Rishav

Ranjan seeking a stay on the felling of trees in the colony.

The apex court had restrained the authori ties from felling any more trees after the Solicitor General sub mitted on behalf of the State of Maharash tra that no further trees will be cut.

The felling of trees in the colony has been opposed by green ac tivists and residents.

MAN DUPED OF `18.5 LAKH BY FRAUDSTER POSING AS FRIEND

Nagpur: A 52-year-old man from Nagpur was allegedly duped of Rs18.5 lakh by a fraudster who posed as a close friend of the victim, police said. The victim received a call on his phone from Canada earlier this month and the person on the other side posed as his friend. He told the victim that his mother was in a serious condition and admitted to a hospital in Nagpur.

COPS RETURN `15L TO KENYAN WOMAN WHO LOST HER BAG

Mumbai: City police on Tuesday returned a bag with Rs15 lakh cash to a Kenyan woman who had forgotten it in a taxi. On November 21, the woman lodged a police complaint. Colaba police started searching the taxi after scanning the CCTV footage and traced the taxi driver from Kalbadevi area. Police seized the bag from the taxi driver and handed it over to the woman.

CASE REGISTERED AGAINST JAWAN FOR WIELDING REVOLVER DURING PROCESSION

First India Bureau Mumbai: A 22-year-old man, arrested last year for allegedly rap ing a 15-year-old girl, has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court. It noted that the two were in a rela tionship and the vic tim, though minor, was capable of under standing the conse quences of her act.

In an order dated No vember 15, a single bench of Justice Bharati Dangre also noted the victim had voluntarily accompanied the ac cused to his aunt’s place where the alleged of fence took place.

“It appears that the victim, though a minor, was capable of under standing the conse quences of her act and she voluntarily accom panied the applicant (ac cused) to his aunt’s place. Though she is a minor

and her consent becomes immaterial, in a case like this, where she vol untarily joined the appli cant and has admitted that she was in love with the applicant, whether she consented to the sex ual intercourse or not is a matter of evidence,” said the bench.

It added that whether the victim girl resisted the sexual act and at what point the accused forcibly committed sexu al intercourse with her against her wishes will have to be determined at

Pune to host Tennis Premier League in December

First India Bureau

Pune: The fourth sea son of the Tennis Premier League (TPL), to be held from December 07 to 11, will be organized in Pune city, an nounced tournament organizers on Wednesday.

Backed by the All In dia Tennis Association (AITA) and Maharash tra State Lawn Tennis

Association (MSLTA), the league will be held at Balewadi Stadium in the Shree Shiv Chhatra pati Sports Complex.

A player in action at an earlier edition of TPL. —FILE PHOTO

“I am sure the Bale wadi Stadium will be filled to the brim with tennis fans to watch the Tennis Premier

City to hold tourney for the first time since its inception at Balewadi Stadium

League from 7th De cember onwards,” Sun der Iyer, Joint Secre tary of AITA, said add ing that this is the first time that Pune will be hosting the TPL.

the time of trial.

“The applicant is also a young boy and the pos sibility of him also being smitten by infatuation cannot be ruled out. At present, he need not be further incarcerated as he has been arrested in April 2021 and the trial may consume consider able time,” said the HC.

The bench, while granting bail to the ac cused, directed him to not establish any contact with the victim and to not even enter the same area as her residence in

suburban Mumbai. A case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSOA) was lodged against the ac cused on April 29, 2021, by the victim.

Jalna: Police said on Tuesday they have registered a case against a jawan for allegedly wielding a revolver in a procession at Ambad town in Jalna district. The accused, Shaikh Bilal Shaikh Dilwar, was dancing in the procession taken out on the occasion of the birth anniversary of erstwhile Mysore kingdom ruler Tipu Sultan wielding the revolver on Monday, the police said. An on-duty constable seized the licenced firearm and lodged a complaint.

Latur: A 25-year-old man was arrested on charges of stealing mobile tower batteries and burglary in Latur district, police said on Wednesday. Police nabbed the accused in Udgir. In vestigation revealed he was involved in stealing silver utensils and mobile tower batteries. The batteries worth Rs2.10 lakh were seized from the accused.

31-YEAR-OLD MAN HELD CAPTIVE SINCE SEP 12 IN THAILAND FREED BY EMPLOYER

Thame: A 31-year-old man from Thane, who had been held captive in Thailand by his employer since September 12, was released in the first week of November. The em ployer was demanding USD 3,000 for his release. “Dubey went to Thailand on September 12 and since then he was been tortured mentally and physically and forced to con tact and convince people to buy cryptocurrency. He was not allowed to get in touch with his family,” Sunil Shinde, Senior Police Inspector at Shrinagar police station, said.

Gangster Amar Naik’s associate caught after 23 yrs in dacoity case

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Mumbai police have arrested a 50-year-old man asso ciated with gangster Amar Naik and want ed for 23 years in a da coity case, an official said on Wednesday.

The accused, identi fied as Ravindra Dhole, was nabbed on Tuesday from Vitthalwadi locali ty in Junnar taluka of Pune district.

Naik was killed in an encounter with police two decades ago. Dhole had been a member of

Naik’s gang, police said.

When Dhole was 26 years old, he was arrest ed on charges under various Indian Penal Code sections including 399 (making preparation to commit dacoity) and 402 (assembling for pur pose of committing da coity), and provisions of the Arms act in the 1998 case. But, he had disap peared after one year, the official said.

The accused had also failed to appear in the case hearings following

which a court declared him as “wanted ac cused” and asked local police to present him be fore it, he said.

When police person nel from the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg police sta tion went to his resi dence in Dadar area here, they found he had sold it and left the place, the official said.

Later, the police formed a special team and started collecting more details about the accused, the official said.

Maha Education Dept launches ‘digital’ initiative in rural schools

Thane: To enhance eliteracy and bridge the social-digital di vide in education, the Maharashtra govern ment has launched the Majhi e-Shala mission in all staterun schools located in rural areas.

Under the mission, the government will set up state-of-the-art digi tal classrooms in Zilla

Parishad schools across the state, said officials attached with Samagra Shiksha programme.

As part of the first phase of the mission, the department has identified 500 schools in Thane, Raigad, Os manabad and Palghar districts. “Our goal is to bring as many govern ment schools, students and teachers as possi ble under the digital umbrella, and the Ma

Under the mission, the government will set up state-of-the-art digital classrooms in Zilla Parishad schools. —FILE PHOTO

jhi e-Shala mission has been taken up for that,” said an Education De partment official.

Over 1,000 teachers from these schools will be trained in education technology in the first phase. By 2024-25, the Department plans to transform 5,000-plus schools and digitize 10,000 classrooms across the state.

The Samagra Shik sha and Maharashtra

Prathamik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP) have collaborated with Pratham InfoTech Foundation to make the mission a success.

Under the multi-fac eted programme, the Education Department will offer free e-content, said the MPSP officials.

“The free content will help students and teachers at these schools learn and de velop the necessary

abilities to use educa tional technology in the classroom and adapt to the new-age learning methods,” an MPSP of ficial said.

Project director at Samagra Shiksha, Kailash Pagare said, “We wish to bridge this digital divide through this initiative and ena ble schools in rural ar eas to get familiar with online teaching and learning methods.”

First India Bureau

The felling of trees in the colony has been opposed by green activists and residents in Mumbai. —FILE PHOTO

HC noted the girl was capable of knowing the consequences of going with the boyfriend to his aunt’s house

ALLEGATIONS

The victim kept quiet till her WhatsApp chat with the applicant was objected to by her family members. She continued to re main silent from April 06 and disclosed the incident only when an objection was taken by her family. —Justice Bharati Dangre, Bombay High Court

First India

Sarus crane is listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN’s red list.

MAN SETS PROPERTY OF GIRLFRIEND’S FATHER ON FIRE

MAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING MOBILE TOWER BATTERIES

Nagpur: A man having an extramarital affair was arrested after he burned down a mini truck and a vegetable shop owned by his girlfriend’s father after she refused to move with him in Waghoda village in Nagpur district, police said on Tuesday. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, police added.

The Majhi e-Shala mission seeks to familiarize teachers, students with online teaching and learning methods

The accused, Ravindra Dhole, was nabbed on Tuesday from Vitthalwadi locality in Junnar taluka of Pune

MODI MANTRA BE THE STRING THAT BINDS TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT PEARLS OF IDEAS!

he narrator brings out the remarkable vision of Modiji when it comes to conducting meetings. He says that the party is bound to succeed if every karyakarta, every booth, every baithak and the minutest detail is taken with utmost seriousness.

Municipal Corporation elections were going on in Shimla and Bimla Kashyapji was contesting from Ward No 13 which is now Ward No. 17.

Bimlaji had been a Rajya Sabha member as well and her commitment towards the ward was exceptional. It was night time and we were past ing posters in our constitu ency for the impending elec tions. In this digital age, you know, we don’t put up posters any more. But back then we got free by 1:30 at night and returned home. Next day we convened a baithak to dis cuss what all had been ac complished and what tasks remained to be completed.

Bimlaji already knew that we

had been very busy all these days. In fact she was watch ing us work at 1:30 in the night from her window. Such was the energy and commit ment of Bimla Kashyapji to wards her ward and booth workers! Her days had no beginning nor end. Waking up at 4:00 am and working till 2 in the night, but her energy and josh toward work would not diminish. She harboured tremendous devotion for the Sangathan and worked inces santly towards its strength ening, growth and success.

I am fortunate to have sev eral such examples to talk about, about people who have inspired me and continue to do so by their unshakeable loyalty and commitment to wards the Sangathan.

It was Narendra Modiji who taught me what baithak really means. What is a baithak? It is indeed a group of people coming together to put forth their views and dis cuss important issues. But how Modiji defined it to me was a complete eye-opener. He has the ability to explain con cepts in very few words, in a way that’s logical and makes instant sense to the listener.

He said “When people arrive for a baithak, you must know that they are coming from dif ferent places and viewpoints. But when they leave the baithak, they must all leave with a united plan in mind.

Baithak must clear all differ ences and help people come to a unanimous decision. Only when this happens can we say that the baithak has in deed yielded desired results.

And this alone is the true and correct measure of the suc

‘MODIJI’S JUDGEMENT FOR PEOPLE OR SITUATIONS IS NEVER WRONG’

Once we spotted a group of men coming towards us from afar. I remarked that they must be tourists. Immediately, Narendra Modiji said “Look carefully at their belts! They are not tourists. They are members of the Sangh.” Well, the broad brown belts they were wearing, were indeed the belts that members of our Sangh wear. This is how Modiji is an exceptionally keen observer. His eye for detail is such that he can never go wrong with his judgement of people or of situations!

cess of baithak.”

Not just this, Modiji would say that baithak is not some non-serious business where in people come strolling from somewhere, sit here and there sipping tea and coffee and chit-chatting with each other, causally, gossiping away about the happenings in various Zilas! No, this is not what baithak is!

Contemplating on the seemingly smallest aspects of governance, and discuss ing them threadbare for as much time as it takes is the first priority according to Modiji. Baithak does not hap pen again and again and when it does, people must de vote time and discuss the smallest issues in detail so that progress can be made in the right direction.

‘NARENDRA MODIJI EXPLAINS CONCEPTS IN VERY FEW WORDS’

It was Narendra Modiji who taught me what baithak really means. What is a baithak? It is indeed a group of people coming together to put forth their views and discuss important issues. But how Modiji defined it to me was a complete eye-opener. He has the ability to explain concepts in very few words, in a way that’s logical and makes instant sense to the listener.

Secondly, coming fully pre pared to the baithak is of ut most importance. Come with a holistic picture in mind, keeping a note of all the is sues and subjects that can possibly be discussed in the meeting. Preparation implies doing the home-work well and arriving to the baithak with a focus on identifying, resolving, discussing, reflect ing upon and finding the way ahead to all issues.

Well, I vividly recall an in cident that took place some time back in a baithak where Modiji was present too. I will not name my colleague for obvious reasons here but will share the incident. The Pradesh Karya Samiti baithak was ongoing and the usual trend is that people come to the baithak with dif

ferences in opinions and viewpoints. So when my col league got the opportunity to speak about one particular issue, he decided to vent out all his thoughts at once. He had negative views about sev eral aspects and he spoke at length over that issue, but bringing forth only the disad vantages and weaknesses about the subject.

Narendraji, as always, lis tened patiently to the entire speech. Once the speaker had finished, Modiji remarked “Well said! You are indeed very eloquent. Can you now share with us just one posi tive aspect about all of this?”

Don’t you think what a big observation this is? Just one remark and Modiji turned around the conversation to a positive note, encouraging

people to think of solutions, rather than contemplating only on the negatives. Now that karyakarta had not ex pected this and he fumbled. He literally had nothing to say! But at the same time, he had learnt his lesson for the future. So had everyone pre sent in the baithak. Everyone has flaws and it is human to err. Dwelling on the negatives of people in a meeting is just waste of time.

Modiji would say that the aim of baithak is to delegate work to karyakarta, to hear out his side of the story and to take care of his well-being. He inspired every karyakarta to ensure hundred percent dedi cation to his booth. If a both has 100 votes, those 100 votes are all that should matter to the karyakarta. If you get those 100 votes, no one can de feat the party. Thus encourag ing the booth workers to sim ply win their booth and not bother about others is Modiji’s message to the karyakartas.

Morning walks with Nar endra Modi have taught me a lot. He used to call me in the morning and I would reach US club where our office was. From there we would often go to different areas of Shimla for walks. Once we spotted a group of men coming to wards us from afar. I re marked that they must be tourists. Immediately, Naren dra Modiji said “Look care fully at their belts! They are not tourists. They are mem bers of the Sangh.” Well, the broad brown belts they were wearing, were indeed the belts that members of our Sangh wear. This is how Modiji is an exceptionally keen observer. His eye for de tail is such that he can never go wrong with his judgement of people or of situations!

COMPILED AND EDITED BY SHASHIKANT SHARMA AND SHWETA SHARMA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

DEFINING BAITHAK: Come in with diverse viewpoints and move out with a singular stance

Raghav

Gives

BATTLEGROUND GUJARAT

Modi hopes for record turnout in upcoming polls

Dahod (ANI): PM Nar endra Modi on Wednes day said he hoped that Gujarat will witness a record voter turnout in the upcoming state polls, particularly among the youth and first-time voters.

Modi’s remarks came after Jam Saheb Shatrushalya Singhji, scion of the Jamnagar royal family, cast his vote at his residence in the presence of the deputy collector and other election officials on Monday.

Tagging a tweet by the Press Information Bureau in Gujarat, Modi said, “I commend Jam Saheb Shri Shatrusalyasinhji for this remarkable pas sion towards the festi val of democracy.”

“Inspired by him, I hope Gujarat witnesses a record turnout, par ticularly among young and first time voters,” the prime minister said. In its tweet posted on Monday, the PIB in Gujarat had said, “Jam Saheb Namdar Maha raja Shatrushalya Sing hji of Jamnagar cast his vote today at his residence in the pres ence of the Deputy Col lector and other elec tion officials.” Voting for the 182-member Gu jarat Assembly will be held in two phases — December 1 and 5 — and counting on Dec 8.

‘CONGRESS TRIED TO DEFEAT TRIBAL WOMAN NOMINATED

New Delhi(PTI): At least seven legislators who have won the Guja rat Assembly elections for five or more times are seeking a term again in the state polls scheduled next month.

candidate Droupadi Murmu clinched the country’s highest constitutional post after defeating her rival and joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha. Drou padi Murmu’s ascent as the 15th elected President of India makes her the first tribal and the second woman after Pratibha Devisingh Patil to hold the coveted post. “Cong always wanted to keep people poor so they remain dependent on govt,” PM said.

Rajkot: On opposite sides of the electoral fence in Gujarat, crick eter Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba and sister Naynaba are sparring over the former’s cam paign strategy. Nayna ba, who is actively working with the Con gress, has accused her sister-in-law, who is the BJP candidate from Jamnagar (north), of violating laws. Nayna ba alleged that Rivaba had been taking along children. “Many of these kids are below 10 years of age. A com plaint with the district election officer,” Naynaba said.

JODO YATRA

The ruling BJP has reposed faith in five of the leaders by fielding them for yet another term, while one has sought to contest as an independent. These five candidates fielded by the BJP are Yogesh Pa tel (Manjalpur seat), Pabubha Manek (Dwar ka), Keshu Nakrani (Gariadhar), Purshot tam Solanki (Bhavna gar rural) and Pankaj Desai (Nadiad).

Botad (Gujarat) (ANI): BJP national president JP Nadda on Wednesday lauded the work done by the Gujarat government over the years and

Ahmedabad (ANI): Congress leader Man ish Tewari on Wednes day, while reacting to Himanta Biswa Sar ma’s “Saddam Hus sein” jibe at Rahul Gan dhi, said that the Assam CM “sounds like a petty troll”. Sarma on Tues day said Rahul Gandhi “looks like Saddam Hussein”, who was the former Iraqi president and was executed by hanging on Dec 30, 2006, after being convicted of crimes against human ity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal. When asked about Sarma’s remark, Tewari said, “In public life, it is very imp that we maintain decorum.”

PARTIES BARRED

"MY NAME IS ENOUGH TO WIN," SAYS

Jadeja,

quit

LOCALS TO BE FINED

HIMANTA SARMA TAKES DIG AT RAHUL

Ahmedabad (ANI): Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a dig at Cong leader Ra hul Gandhi’s bearded appearance, which he said resembled that of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Ad dressing a campaign rally in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, he said, “If he (Rahul Gandhi) wanted to change his looks, why did not he choose to look like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or Jawaharlal Nehru? Even Gandhi ji’s look would have been better, but why he is he chang ing his face to look like Saddam Hussein now?”

Sarma also hit out at the Congress leader’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and said, “Rahul Gandhi is

visiting places where there are no elections.” Soon after the state ment of the Assam CM went viral, Cong lead ers termed it “stunt”.

“You (Assam CM) just want a headline and you get that only when you take Rahul Gandhi’s name. Him

IN THE COURTYARD

HOSP EMPLOYEE

ARRESTED FOR KILLING WIFE WITH LETHAL DRUGS

Pune: A 23-year-old male nurse has been arrested in Pune district for allegedly kill ing the wife by administering her lethal injections and try ing to pass it off as a suicide, police said on Wednesday.

Swapnil Sawant, the ac cused, wanted to eliminate his wife as he was having an affair with a colleague and was planning to marry her, said an official of Paud police station. Sawant had married Priyanka Kshetre, the victim, only five months earlier. On November 14, Sawant took Priyanka to a hospital in seri ous condition and she was declared dead by the doctors.

COURT SEEKS PROBE AGENCY'S STAND ON BAIL PLEA FOR UNITECH EX-OWNER'S WIFE

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court sought the Enforce ment Directorate's (ED) stand on Wednesday on a bail plea moved by Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra's wife, Preeti Chandra, in a money-laundering case.

Justice Jasmeet Singh issued a notice to federal investigating agency and asked it to file its status report. Court also asked ED to "address" Chandra's plea for interim release. Ap pearing before the court on behalf of Chandra, lawyer Adit Pujari said applicant is has been in custody since October 4, 2021.

anta Biswa Sarma can say anything. He can go to any level for power. We don’t pay attention to such statement,” As sam Cong chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said.

Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas also condemned the remark.

ASSAM COPS ACTIONS ‘UNPROVOKED, UNCONTROLLED’: CM HIMANTA SARMA

New Delhi (PTI): A day after six persons were killed, and several injured in a clash between Assam Police and a mob along the Assam-Meghalaya border, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Wednesday criticized the former over its handling of the violence and said it used force in an “unprovoked, uncon trolled and arbitrary” manner. “I feel there was no need to fire to the extent the police did. The firing was a little unprovoked, and the police could have acted in a little more controlled manner,” CM Sarma was quoted as saying.

MEGHALAYA DELEGATION TO MEET AMIT SHAH TODAY TO DEMAND PROBE

Shillong (PTI): A delegation of Meghalaya ministers led by CM Conrad K Sangma will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 24 to demand a CBI or NIA probe into the violence that

Adani's mega port proj stalled as fishing community protests

Vizhinjam (PTI): On the main road to billion aire Gautam Adani’s planned Vizhinjam mega port on the south ern tip of India, a shel ter built by the coastal region’s Christian fish ing community blocks the entrance, prevent ing construction.

The simple 1,200 square-feet structure with a corrugated-iron roof has since August stood in the way of am bitions for the coun try’s first container transhipment port - a $900 million project that seeks to plug into the lucrative shipping trade flowing between juggernaut manufac turers in the East and wealthy consumer mar

kets in West.

Decorated with ban ners proclaiming “in definite day and night protest”, shelter pro vides cover for roughly

THREE GAME-CHANGING REVOLUTIONS

Clean

Gandhinagar (ANI): India will be a USD 40-trillion dollar econo my by 2047 and ranked among the top three economies of the world, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh D Ambani has said and identified Clean Energy Revolution, the Bio-En ergy Revolution and the Digital Revolution as “three game-changing revolutions” that will govern India’s growth

Revolution

in the decades ahead.

Addressing the con vocation of Pandit Deendayal Energy Uni versity (PDEU) here on Tuesday, Mukesh Am bani said India is poised

for an “unprecedented explosion in economic growth and opportuni ties” during the Amrit Kaal, 25-year period to 2047 when India will cel ebrate centenary of its

independence. He said three game-changing revolutions will togeth er transform lives in ways unimagined.

“While Clean Energy Revolution and the BioEnergy Revolution will produce energy sus tainably, the Digital Revolution will enable us to consume energy efficiently. All 3 revolu tions will together help India & save our beauti ful planet,” he said.

100

chairs, al though the number of protesters taking part in the sit-ins on any one day is usually much lower.

‘India will be a 40 trillion-dollar economy by 2047’

plastic

Police officers with batons gather to carefully monitor the situation in Vizhinjam.

BHARAT

left 6 people dead on state’s border with Assam. Assam govern ment, however, on Tuesday said it would hand over investigation into violence on its disputed boundary with Meghalaya in West Karbi Anglong district to neutral agency. “The govt of Meghalaya has decided that all festivals will be cancelled,” he said.

Nirmala Sitharaman with Himanta Biswa Sarma during inauguration of 400th birth anniversary celebration of of Ahom General Lachit Barphukan in New Delhi. —PHOTO BY ANI

“So Ja Warna...”: AAP’s

Chadha

Gujarat Pitch A ‘Sholay’ Twist

Yogi on Gujarat tour for 3rd time in a week, will take multiple meetings

BJP suspends 12 more rebels for contesting as independent candidates

BJP govt in Gujarat legitimised corruption, alleges Manish Tewari

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a public rally, in Dahod on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY ANI

BY US FOR PRESIDENT’S POST’

GUJARAT IS GANGOTRI OF CULTURE OF DEVELOPMENTAL POLITICS: NADDA

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched an attack on Congress and said the grand old party tried to defeat a tribal woman (Droupadi Murmu) nominated by us for President’s post by fielding a candidate. After addressing the first rally in Mehsana, PM Modi addressed the public in Dahod in Central Gujarat. On July 21, NDA’s presiden tial

said that the Gujarat model is not just a model of development but is the source of the "culture of developmental politics." While addressing an election rally in Botad, Nadda said, "The Gujarat model is not just a model of development, but the Gangotri of the culture of developmental politics." Mentioning PM Narendra Modi's welfare schemes for the poor, BJP chief said, "PM Modi built 3.07 cr 'pucca' houses in the whole country under PM Awas Yojana and in Gujarat, 15 lakh houses were built. " he added.

BJP national president JP Nadda during his visit to Swaminarayan Temple, at Gadhada, in Botad on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Jadeja’s wife & sister play from different teams

Himanta Sarma sounds like a petty troll: Tewari

7 MLAs who won for 5 times again in fray

LADY DON'S SON KANDHAL JADEJA

POLITICAL

FROM CAMPAIGNING,

Porbandar (ANI): For Kandhal Jadeja, SP candidate from Kutiyana seat in Porbandar district and son of the late mafia don Santokben Sarmanbhai Jadeja, said that his suf ficient to win the Gujarat Assembly elections.

who recently

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), after the party denied him the ticket and hopped on to the bicycle of the Samajwadi Party stated that the NCP was "finished in Gujarat." 1999 film "Godmother" star ring Shabana Azmi is based on the life of Santokben Sarmanbhai Jadeja. The 'Lady Don' was an MLA from Porbandar's Kutiana seat from 1990 to 1995. Accord ing to police records, she had more than 500 cases.

Rajkot (ANI): With the Gujarat assembly elections round the corner, the entire state is engulfed in elec tion fever, the residents of Raj Samadhiyala vil lage in Rajkot district are free from these political dramas as they have barred entry of political parties and campaigning in the village because they think that allowing candidates to campaign would be detrimental to the region. No political party can enter the vilage as they have been banned to cam paign. Raj Samadhiyala village which is 20 km away from Rajkot, not only banned political campaigning but it also imposes a fine of Rs 51 on those who do not come out to vote.

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani addresses during the launch of 5G services in India.

—FILE PHOTO

Aaftab Amin Poonawala likely to undergo narco analysis today

New Delhi: Narco test on Aaftab Amin Poon awala, accused of mur dering his live-in part ner Shraddha Walkar, is likely to be conducted on Thursday, sources said.

The 28-year-old will, however, have to under go a set of tests to ascer tain his emotional, men tal, physiological and psychological well-be ing. The narco analysis cannot be conducted if he is found to be "dis turbed" in the prelimi nary tests.

On Tuesday, Aaftab had undergone poly graph test, also known as lie detector test, at the Forensic Science Labo ratory (FSL), with police hoping to find vital clues in the murder.

The narco analysis involves administering the individual medica tion which reduces their self-consciousness and allows them to speak freely.

Polygraph test, on the other hand, records physiological phenome

CASE CLOSED IN 2020: POLICE

Maharashtra:

na such as blood pres sure, pulse rate and res piration, and the data is

CRUCIAL READ

KARNATAKA GOVT RELEASES RS 738 CR FOR MODERNIZATION OF VANI VILASA CANALS

Karnataka: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that the state government released Rs 738 crore grant for the desilting of Vani Vilas Sagara canals and its modernisation in order to help farmers of this region. Speaking at the inauguration of the BJP’s (BJP) Jan Sankalp Yatra here, Bommai said Rs 20 crore has been reserved for the maintenance of Vani Vilas Sagar Dam, and also initiated steps to strengthen it further.

CPI NATION SECY DEMANDS CHANGE IN G20 SUMMIT LOGO WHICH

used to determine whether the person is speaking the truth.

well-being

MURDER CASE

Mumbai (ANI): In the latest twist in the tale of the Shraddha Walkar murder case, a letter has surfaced that Shraddha alleg edly wrote in 2020 at the Tulinj police sta tion in Maharashtra’s Palghar, in which she complained that Aaft ab Poonawala, the accused in her mur der case, had beaten her and threatened to kill her.

The Maharashtra police have confirmed that the deceased had written a complaint letter on November 23, 2020, at the Tulinj police station. The Maharashtra police also confirmed the authenticity of the

Shraddha Walkar

said compaint letter shared by Shraddha’s neighbour as to have been written by Sharddha. In the com plaint letter, Shrad dha said that she “did not have the guts to go to the police” because Aftab had threatened to kill her. However, she added that Aaftab tried to kill her on the day she was writing the letter.

‘Ensure name on voter list to avoid detention camp’

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mama ta Banerjee today asked people of the state to ensure that their names are on the electoral roll to avoid getting sent to deten tion camps under the garb of enforcing NRC.

She was addressing a programme organised by the state government to distribute land 'pat tas' (documents) to mar ginalised families from all districts.

"Ensure your name is there on the voter list, or else, you will be sent to detention camps in the name of NRC. It's a shame, shame and shame," Banerjee said.

Referring to inci dents of "forcible takeo ver of land by the rail way and airport author ities", Ms Banerjee said, "No eviction will be al lowed in Bengal with out proper compensa tion and rehabilita tion." At the public function, she asked peo ple to start "protests if your land is forcibly taken and the state will be with you".

Wednesday

oath-taking

of the new governor, alleging that the Trinamool

"humiliated" him

year's

the

the

polls. The BJP leader also

that the Trinamool govt was pursuing "vindic tive" politics as it was yet to come to terms with CM Mamata Banerjee's poll defeat to him in Nandigram. "Just to humiliate me and the BJP at the oath-taking ceremony, I was given a seat beside two legislators who had won last year's elections on a party ticket and later defected to the Trinamool without resigning as BJP MLAs." "This Trinamool govt is acting in a vindictive manner. It is yet to digest the fact that the Trinamool chief lost to me in Nandigram. The govt did not maintain decorum and showed disrespect to the chair of leader of opposition," Adhikari told reporters.

Ranjan seeks Guv intervention against govt power misuse

Kolkata (ANI): The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday wrote a let ter to the West Bengal Governor seeking his intervention with re gard to the misuse of power by the state ad ministration.

In his letter ad dressed to the Honora ble Governor of West

Bengal CV Ananda Bose, the president of West Bengal Congress and Leader of Opposi tion in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowd hury sought the Gover nor's intervention as a Constitutional Head in the state regarding the issues of the Jhalda Municipality. Adhir Ranjan in his letter al leged that ever since

the election of Jhalda Municipality and the declaration of its re

sult, the councillors, party leaders and mem bers of the Indian Na tional Congress have been subjected to tre mendous torture. Ad dressing the Governor, Adhir further alleged that the ruling dispen sation of West Bengal has left no stone un turned to forcefully take control of Jhalda Municipality and cling

on to power.

Adhir Ranjan in his letter asserted, "From the murder of a coun cillor namely Tapan Kandu to implicating councillors, party lead ers and members of Indian National Con gress the ruling dispen sation has left no stones unturned to forcefully take control of Jhalda Municipality".

Speaker will decide: Minister on winter session at new building

MASSIVE

FIRE

BREAKS OUT IN ASSAM’S KARBI ANGLONG

Assam: A large number of houses and shops were gutted in a massive fire in the Lahorijaan area near Bokajan in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district along the Assam-Nagaland border on Wednesday. SDPO of Bo kajan, John Das, told ANI that no casualty had been reported in the incident.

“Fire tenders have reached the spot and tried to douse the flames,” John Das said.

GUJ POLICE ARREST TWO PERSONS, SEIZE ` 75 LAKH IN CASH

Surat: The Gujarat police on Wednesday arrested two persons and seized Rs 75 lakh in cash from a car during vehicle checking in Surat. As per the police, they have impounded the car and arrested the ac cused persons who had Rs 75 lakh in their possession. This vehicle checking by the EC of India and Surat Police was underway amid the security setup.

Bhubaneswar (PTI): The Strategic Forces Command, responsible for managing India’s nuclear weapons as part of the Nuclear Command Authority, has successfully tested an Agni-III ballistic missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island (formerly known as Wheeler Island) off the coast of Odisha. The missile has a strike range of 3,000 to 5,000 km and is capable of carrying both con ventional and nuclear warheads. “Successful test was part of routine user training launches carried out under aegis of the Strategic Forces Command,” Ministry of Defence said.

New Delhi: Union Min ister of State for Hous ing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore has said finishing touches are being given to the new Parliament build ing and the Lok Sabha Speaker will decide whether the forthcom ing Winter Session will be held there or in the existing building.

The Winter Session of Parliament will be gin on December 7 and conclude on December 29. The govt has main tained that the project would be completed by

Nov. Kishore said on Tuesday that the pro ject is on track and ef forts are being made to complete the construc tion work as soon as possible.

"The Speaker will de cide whether the Winter Session of Parliament will be held in the new building or the old one," Kishore told PTI.

Union Housing & Ur ban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said earlier this month that it was up to the govt to make announcement regarding the date.

FIFA WORLD CUP

I’m a bit irritated over issues created by media: Tharoor on ‘sectarian’ accusation

Kerala: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday sought to know how his attending events and meeting some prominent per sons in Kerala, along with MP M K Raghavan, could be construed as sectarian and said he was “a bit irritated” over the issues being created in the media.

A day after LoP in the state assembly V D Satheesan said any kind of sectarianism or parallel activities would not be allowed in the party and warned

that such moves would be dealt with “serious ly”, Tharoor questioned how activities of the two Congress MPs could be seen as sectar ian. Speaking to report ers at Kannur after

Japan stun Germany in dramatic World Cup comeback

Al Wakrah [Qatar], (ANI): Following his team’s win over Austral ia in their FIFA World Cup 2022 opener, defend ing champions France coach Didier Deschamps said that though his side started well, it was able to let the Aussies score a goal that should have been avoided.

Olivier Giroud’s brace and a stunning goal from Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe guided reigning champions France to register victo ry over Australia by 4-1 in the Group D match of the ongoing FIFA World

Cup 2022 at the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.

Des champs also added that France showed more confidence in second half to push Aus tralia on backfoot.

“We began the match well in the first

the second half, we showed a lot more con fidence and forced Aus tralia on to the back foot and then we creat ed a lot of chances and four goals, which is good,” Sky Sports quoted Des champs as say ing.

“It is a good beginning to the tournament. The opening match is al ways vital and impor tant. I would like to con gratulate the team and the players,” he added.

INDIA TESTS INTERMEDIATERANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE AGNI-3

HAS LOTUS Andhra Pradesh: Communist Party of India (CPI) National Secretary K. Narayana on Wednesday took a swipe at the central government for choos ing a lotus flower in the logo of the G20 summit and demanded a change. “CPI welcomes the G20 meeting, and we appreciate Prime Minister Modi on this occasion as we would be the host for the coming two years,” said K. Narayana.

He will have to undergo tests to ascertain his emotional, mental, physiological

meeting Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, Tharoor said he was sad to hear, via media, that some were saying he and Raghavan were indulging in such activities.

Police along with Aaftab Poonawalla leaves from the FSL office, in New Delhi on Tuesday. —PHOTO BY ANI

SUVENDU ADHIKARI SKIPS BENGAL GOVERNOR'S OATH OVER SEATING PLAN Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in Bengal Suvendu Adhikari on

skipped the

cere mony

govt

by allotting him a seat beside two MLAs who defected to

ruling party from

BJP after last

assembly

claimed

WE WERE PUNISHED BY OUR MISTAKES, SAYS AUSTRALIAN COACH AFTER LOSS

Qatar: Following the loss to France in their FIFA World Cup 2022 opener, Australia head coach Graham Arnold said the quality of their opponents contributed to their win and his side was punished by their mistakes.

Olivier Giroud’s brace and a stunning goal from Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe guided reigning champions France to 4-1 victory over Australia in the Group D match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.

Maharashtra Police on Wednesday said that based on a complaint by Shraddha Walkar in 2020, they had begun an investigation but the case was closed after she gave a written statement to withdraw the case. DCP of Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) Commissionerate, Suhas Bavache said that Shraddha in her written statement had stated that "the dispute between herself and Aaftab Poonawala was resolved."

GERMANY LEADS WC PROTESTS AGAINST FIFA

‘RIGHT TIME TO SEEK A NEW CHALLENGE’

Qatar: Germany players covered their mouths during their team photo prior to their Group E game against Japan, in order to mark their protest against the OneLove armband ban. After FIFA threatened seven European teams with sanctions if they wore the armband sym bolising diversity and tolerance, all German players took part in the gesture in front of doz ens of photographers.

Qatar: Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday announced the end of his contract with Manchester United, say ing that it "feels like the right time to seek a new challenge". Star striker of the club Cristiano Ronaldo has parted ways with Manchester United, the club said in a statement on Tuesday. Ronaldo also took to Twitter to announce that he has parted ways with the club.

Aaftab will kill me, cut me into pieces and throw me: Shraddha

Mamata Banerjee

Suvendu Adhikari

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Shashi Tharoor

Morocco’s Sofiane Boufal in action.

BRIEFS

PARLE CROSSES $2 BILLION IN SALES DURING FY22

India, GCC to launch FTA negotiations today

First India Bureau

$27.8 billion in 2020-21, ac cording to data from the commerce ministry.

New Delhi: Parle Prod ucts, which retails brands including Parle G, Monaco and Melody, crossed $2 billion in annual revenues during FY22, becoming the first packaged food company in India to breach the mark. The bis cuit maker posted a 9% increase in net sales at `16,202 crore while profit slipped 81% to `256 crore during the year end ed March. A year ago, it had sales of `14,923 crore and profit of `1,366 crore, according to the company’s filing to the Registrar of Cos. —FIB

ATHER PLANS TO MAKE ITS THIRD PLANT OPERATIONAL

New Delhi: India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will announce the launch of negotiations for a FTA on Thursday, which aims at promoting two-way commerce and invest ments between the regions, an official said.

GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf re gion -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

India’s exports to the GCC member countries grew by 58.26% to about $44 billion in 2021-22, as against

The share of GCC mem bers in India’s total im ports rose to 18% in 2021-22, from 15.5% in 2020-21.

Bilateral trade has in creased to $154.73 billion in 2021-22, from $87.4 billion in 2020-21. “GCC officials will be here for the announce ment,” the official was quoted as saying by PTI.

India has already imple mented a free trade pact with the UAE in May this year. This would be a kind of resumption of FTA talks as earlier two rounds of ne

gotiations had been held in 2006 and 2008 between In dia and GCC. Third round did not happen as GCC de

USE HPR TO BUILD NETWORK OF DOCS: IRDAI TO INSURERS

New Delhi (PTI): Irdai has asked insurers to leverage the Health Professional Registry to build a network of doctors or other health care professionals for pro viding OPD and other health services.

AS PART OF DIGITAL MISSION

Bengaluru: Electric twowheeler maker Ather En ergy is all set to finalise the location of a third manufacturing plant shortly with plans to make it functional by end of next fiscal to cater to growing demand, accord ing to co-founder Swapnil Jain. The startup which currently sells two elec tric scooters — 450X and the 450 Plus — expects its current capacity of 4.2 lakh units per annum in Hosur (Tamil Nadu) to get fully utilised by next fiscal end.

DHARMAJ CROP GUARD IPO TO OPEN

ON NOVEMBER 28

As part of the Ayush man Bharat Digital Mis sion, National Health Au thority (NHA) has incorpo rated a Healthcare Profes sional Registry (HPR), a comprehensive repository of registered and verified practitioners of health care professionals, deliver

OTHER STORIES

ing modern as well as traditional healthcare services across India.

“The General and Health Insurers offering health insurance policies can also consider leverag ing on the Health Profes

z NHA has incorporated a Healthcare Professional Registry, a comprehensive repository of registered and verified practitioners of healthcare professionals

sional Registry for build ing up the network of doc tors/physicians or other healthcare professionals for providing OPD or other healthcare services,” Irdai said in a circular released on Wednesday.

ferred its negotiations with all countries and economic groups. India imports pre dominately crude oil and

INDIA AND THE GCC COUNTRIES

z GCC is a union of six countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain

z India’s exports to the GCC member countries grew about $44 billion in 2021-22

z The share of GCC members in India’s total imports rose to 18% in 2021-22

natural gas from the Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and exports pearls, precious and semi-

precious stones; metals; imitation jewellery; elec trical machinery; iron and steel; and chemicals to these countries.

Besides trade, Gulf na tions are host to a sizeable Indian population. Out of about 32 million NRIs, nearly half are estimated to be working in Gulf coun tries. These NRIs send a significant amount of mon ey back home. According to a November 2021 report of the World Bank, India got $87 billion in foreign remit tances in 2021. Of this, a sizeable portion came from the GCC nations.

Markets end higher for second day on firm global trends

Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmarks ended higher on Wednesday amid buying in banking counters and a firm trend in global mar kets. Continuing its previ ous day rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 91.62 points or 0.15% to settle at 61,510.58.

During the day, it jumped 361.94 points or 0.58% to 61,780.90.

The broader NSE Nifty gained 23.05 points or 0.13% to end at 18,267.25.

From the Sensex pack, State Bank of India, Bajaj

BANK BOARDS CAN DECIDE ON WAIVING PENALTY ON MINIMUM BALANCE: MoS FINANCE KARAD

Srinagar: The boards of individual banks can decide on waiving the penalty on accounts, which do not maintain a minimum balance, Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwant Kishanrao Karad on Wednesday said. “Banks are independ ent bodies. They have boards which can take a decision to waive off the penalty,” Karad said. The minister was responding to a question if the Centre would consider directing banks not to charge any penalty from the accounts where the balance falls below the prescribed min levels. —PTI

New Delhi: Agrochemical company Dharmaj Crop Guard on Wednesday said it has fixed a price band of `216–237 a share for its `251-crore initial public offering (IPO). The initial sharesale will open for public subscription on Novem ber 28 and conclude on November 30, the com pany said in a statement. The initial public offering (IPO) consists of fresh issue of equity shares worth up to `216 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 14.83 lakh equity shares by existing shareholders. —PTI

GOLD FALLS `40 BUT SILVER PRICE GOES

UP BY RUPEES 110

TOTAL LEASING OF OFFICE SPACE IN OCT DIP 21% TO

6.7

MN SQ FEET

New Delhi: The total leasing of office space, which comprises demand for all grades of build ings, fell 21% year-on-year in October across seven major cities to 6.7 million square feet on lower demand, according to property consultant JLL India. As per the data, Mumbai with a 65% share of monthly leasing activity clearly leads the way, followed by Delhi NCR and Pune. These three cities accounted for nearly 93% of all leasing activity in the October 2022 monthly leasing activity tracker. —PTI

POWER WORKERS HOLD RALLY TO PROTEST AGAINST ELEC BILL

New Delhi: Thousands of power sector workers from different states held a massive rally on Wednesday at Jantar Mantar here to protest against Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022, AIPEF said on Wednesday. The rally was held under the ageis of National Coordination Commit tee of Electricity Employees and Engineers. Besides opposing the bill and privatisation of power distribution (utilities), employ ees are demanding Old Pension Scheme and regularisation of all outsourced employees. —PTI

New Delhi: Gold price de clined by `40 to `52,797 per 10 gram in the nation al capital on Wednesday amid a fall in prices of the yellow metal in overseas markets, according to HDFC Securities. In the previous trade, the pre cious metal had closed at `52,837 per 10 gram. Sil ver, however, climbed by `110 to `62,056 per kilo gram. In the international market, gold was quoting lower at $1,745 per ounce while silver was flat at $21.27 per ounce.

New Delhi (ANI): Amidst layoffs and a slowing down of the hiring process being seen by large companies as an avenue to strengthen their revenues, global tech major Google has intro duced a new performance management system, which could push out thou sands of underperforming employees, according to reports surfaced online in recent days.

Multiple news reports quoted technology-fo cused publication The In formation making a men tion of the new perfor mance management sys

Finance, Dr Reddy’s, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Sun Phar ma, Maruti, NTPC, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank were among the major winners.

Air India to launch new flights to New York, Paris & Frankfurt

Mumbai (PTI): Tata Group-owned Air India on Wednesday announced the launch of new flights con necting Mumbai with New York, Paris and Frankfurt, starting February next year. Besides, the full-ser vice carrier also an nounced the resumption of non-stop flights connecting Delhi with Copenhagen, Milan and Vienna.

The Mumbai-New York (JFK) daily service will commence from February 14 next year, Air India said.

Air India said it contin ues to make progress in augmenting its fleet with newly-leased aircraft, and the return of existing air craft to active service.

The international expan sion comes at a time when Air India is grappling with the shortage of both cock pit and cabin crew.

AIRASIA INDIA SIGNS DEAL FOR IN-FLIGHT WI-FI

New Delhi (FIB): AirAsia India and cloud technology firm Sugarbox have formed a partnership to provide in-flight wi-fi service on all AirAsia aircraft. The service will enable AirAsia India flyers to access over 1,000 international and Indian movies. The content will also include “short movies, web series episodes and stream buffer-free content from OTT apps from the system installed in the flight.”The multi-feature in-flight experience hub is called ‘AirFlix’. It will be avail able to all fliers through a local in-flight wi-fi at no additional cost.

AKASA TO LAUNCH VIZAG-BENGALURU SERVICE

New Delhi (PTI): Domestic carrier Akasa Air announced its plans to launch services to Visakhapatnam from Bengaluru, starting Decem ber 10, which will be the airline’s 10th destination since its launch in August this year. The Mumbai-based airline recently announced con necting Pune and Bengaluru with double daily flights from November 26 and a third frequency on the route from December 10. Akasa Air will launch two daily flights on the Bengaluru-Visakhapatnam route, with the first frequency starting from December 10 and the second frequency from December 12, the airline said in a statement.

RUPEE FALLS 18 PAISE TO CLOSE AT 81.85

AGAINST US DOLLAR

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 18 paise to close at 81.85 (provisional) against the US dollar on Wednesday on dollar demand from import ers and recovery in crude oil prices. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 81.81 and later witnessed an intraday high of 81.74 and a low of 81.87 during the session. The domestic unit finally settled at 81.85 against the American currency.

Meesho joins govt’s ONDC

New Delhi (PTI): E-com merce platform Meesho on Wednesday said it has inte grated with the govern ment’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to help connect buyers with hyperlocal sellers.

The government is run ning a pilot of ONDC where all e-commerce ecosystem players will facilitate on line purchase of goods and services at competitive prices, thereby reducing cost burden on sellers and consumers.

The pilot with Meesho will be launched in Ben galuru and gradually rolled out in other loca tions in coming months. With this, registered buy ers on ONDC will be able to access a list of products available on ONDC through Meesho. Meesho claims that 80% of its 14 crore an nual transacting custom ers come from Tier 2 and beyond cities.

The

The

The tech

also said Google’s managers could also use the perfor mance ratings to avoid pay ing employees bonuses and stocks.

a complaint

hubs will be benefit ed by the transformation.

NAGPUR AIRPORT

New Delhi (PTI): Telecom opera tor Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced the deployment of its ‘5G Plus’ service at Dr Baba saheb Ambedkar International Airport Nagpur, making it the second airport in the state with the ultra-high-speed service. The new terminal in Bengaluru, Pune and Varanasi are the other three airports that have Airtel 5G

SLEEPING ON DUTY: CISF guard gets no relief from HC bench

Mumbai: Noting that as a member of a force which has been spe cifically entrusted to guard a public struc ture, the Bombay High Court refused to grant relief to a Central In dustrial Security Force (CISF) constable who was dismissed for sleeping on duty at the Mauda Thermal Pow er Plant in Nagpur.

The petition filed by Kyatale Santosh Ramesh, who was dis missed from the CISF in March 2021 for indisci pline and sleeping on duty, was denied by a di vision bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahu ja on Tuesday.

Ramesh, who was posted as a guard at one of the watchtowers at the power plant, was

found sleeping during his night shift by his su perior. He had reported ly been issued warnings for similar dereliction of duty in the past as well. In his petition, how ever, Ramesh claimed the punishment of dis

28-year-old man held for duping actor Annu Kapoor in cyber fraud

Mumbai: A 28-year-old man has been arrested from Mumbai, almost two months after he allegedly cheated Bol lywood actor Annu Kapoor of Rs4.36 lakh under the pretext of updating his bank KYC details, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, identi fied as Ashish Paswan, was arrested from sub urban Andheri on Mon day. He is a native of Darbhanga in Bihar. Pas wan earns commission by helping people open bank accounts, an offi cial said.

A special team identi fied Paswan through technical evidence, his mobile phone number and the details of online transactions. The photo graph the accused had submitted while opening his account with the pri vate bank, where Kapoor also has an account, also matched, he added.

Police recovered some documents and two mo bile phones from Pas wan. The investigation revealed Paswan had called up Kapoor in Sep tember posing as a pri

vate bank executive. The accused told Kapoor his KYC details were not up dated and if he fails to take immediate action, the account will be sus pended.

As per the FIR, the fraudster managed to get the banking details of the actor and asked him to share the OTP. After a while, Kapoor received a call from the bank’s cus tomer care number in forming him his account had been compromised.

Kapoor rushed to Oshi wara police station and lodged a complaint.

Swift action by the police and the bank’s manager ensured Rs3.08 lakh of Rs4.36 lakh transferred into two bank accounts were ‘debit froze’.

missal from service was disproportionate to the gravity of the alleged of fence committed by him.

The bench said a sym pathetic view could have been taken if he had made a case why he slept on duty for reasons be

yond his control.

“However, the facts found to be proved are quite glaring. The peti tioner, a member of a disciplined force en trusted to guard a plant of public importance, was found to be in deep

THE CONTENTION

Ramesh, who was posted as a guard at one of the watchtow ers at the power plant, was found sleeping during his night shift by his superior. He had reportedly been issued warnings for similar dereliction of duty in the past as well. In his petition, however, he claimed the punish ment of dismissal from service was dispropor tionate to the gravity of the alleged offence committed by him.

slumber while on night duty,” the court said in its order.

The HC also noted that the petitioner had, in the past too, been negligent while discharging his duties and this was not a solitary case.

Mum records 13 new measles cases, one death in 24 hours

First India Bureau

Mumbai: With the measles outbreak playing havoc, Mum bai on Wednesday re corded 13 new cases of measles and one death related to the infection, said the Brihanmumbai Mu nicipal Corporation (BMC) officials.

As many as 30 new measles patients were admitted to civic or state-run hospitals in the city during the day while 22 patients were discharged, said the BMC in a release.

Also, 156 suspected measles cases were found during surveys.

The viral disease is more common among children and the tally of measles cases reported in the city since the start

As many as 30 new measles patients were admitted to civic or state-run hospitals in the city during the day while 22 patients were discharged

of the year rose to 233.

An eight-month-old boy from neighbouring Bhiwandi, suffering from measles, died in a city hospital on Tuesday evening, taking the toll in the city this year so far to 12. The child devel oped rashes all over his body on November 20 and was admitted to a

BMC hospital on Tues day evening but died within a few hours, said the official statement.

The number of sus pected measles cases detected so far this year also rose to 3,534 with 156 new suspected cases with synonyms like fever and rash com ing to light.

Actor Vikram Gokhale passes away

Pune (PTI): Veteran film, television and stage actor Vikram Gokhale died at a Pune hospital late on Wednesday night.

The 82-year-old actor had been undergoing treatment at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital here for the last few days.

Sources from Pune

confirmed that Gokhale’s mortal re mains will be taken to the Balgandharva Sab

hagruha in the morning for friends and family to pay their last respects.

Condolences poured in on social media, as netizens paid a tribute to the late actor.

Gokhale has acted in several Marathi and Bol lywood films, including “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” (1999).

Aishwary Pradhan

Jaipur: CEO and Edi tor-in-Chief, Bharat24Vision of New India and First India & CMD, First India News, Dr Jagdeesh Chandra met I&B Minister Anurag Thakur in Jaipur on Wednesday. Interest ingly, Thakur has now thought of an initia tive to earn billions from dept’s idle prop erties. Under this, survey will be con ducted in the entire country like railway properties of vacant lands of Doordarshan and All India Radio stations.

After the survey, a plan will be made for their auction. Simi

Univ to offer on-campus counselling to students

First India Bureau

Aurangabad: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Mar athwada Universi ty has decided to offer on-campus counselling after a PhD student alleg edly set himself ablaze and also caused a woman to suffer serious burn injuries.

The varsity will rope in its Psycholo gy department and some NGOs for this, Vice Chancellor Dr Pramod Yeole said on Wednesday.

“There are prob lems like students lacking confidence, among others. The professors and other staff will also be asked to be friendly to students so that they can share their issues freely,” he said.

The CCTV net work on the campus will be improved, Dr Yeole further said.

Gajanan Munde, a PhD student, set himself ablaze on Monday at the Gov ernment Institute of Science near the uni versity campus. He suffered 80% burn injuries.

larly, instructions have been issued for exist ing Doordarshan & All India Radio stations with a plan to get rid of 2 lakh square feet of land from its existing premises. Notably, a 3-storey Doordarshan

Kendra is located on Peddar Road in Mum bai & according to plan, similar parts of other big properties will also be made free of possession & then government will put them on rent on merit.

People in Thane shun paid toilets, relieve themselves in open

Thane: Residents of the Thane city have shun public toilets— constructed by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)— claiming that the op erators are charging Rs1-2 for urination (which should be free) and this is push ing them to relieve in the open.

According to Thanebased social activist, Sneha Singh, these toi lets are charging people for urinating which is illegal. Despite several online complaints to the TMC nothing has happened.

The TMC, in collabo ration with contrac tors, built four public toilets under public pri vate partnership (PPP) model. Of the four toi lets, two each have been built at Teen Hath Naka Junction and at Maji wada Junction.

This was done in line with the central gov ernment’s ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ that

Civic body, along with contractors, built four public toilets under PPP model

aims to achieve an open defecation-free city. The PPP initiatives involve collaboration between a government agency and a private sector company to fi nance, build and oper ate projects. After the public toilets are built, the contractor would install advertis ing hoardings to earn revenue.

According to local BJP leader Sachin Shingare, the operator of toilets are earning from hoardings put up there.

“Why are they charg ing money from people? I assume all this money doesn't go to the TMC. The civic body must take action. People pay taxes. Why should they pay more to use basic amenities?” Shingare said.

Team Bharat24 committed to achieve greater heights!

Ranchi/Patna: In Ranchi on Wednesday , Bharat-24’s News Con trol Room Head Sand eep Mishra, Consulting Editor Shishir Awasthi, Marketing V-P Vishal Mathur, Jharkhand Edi tor Manoj Kumar Singh and Senior Correspond ent Kanhaiya Kumar

briefed reporters about how every small and big news from 81 assembly seats of Jharkhand should reach the view ers of Bharat24 news channel. During this, the correspondents also shared the experi ences of working in the past with Dr Jagdeesh Chandra.

In a very short span of time, Bharat24 has selected very active and hardworking corre spondents at every small and big place in

Jharkhand who will bring every news of Jharkhand to the audi

ence of Bharat24. They will also be seen roam ing in the field with the

spirit to take the pub lic’s questions to the government. All the cor

respondents were also advised to stay connect ed with all the social me

dia platforms of Bharat24.

Earlier on Tuesday, a large number of corre spondents of Bharat24 from 243 assembly seats of Bihar reached Pat na’s Vidhyapati Bhavan in Patna to participate in this programme.

Bharat 24 is the first national TV channel whose 4,000 reporters are alert and active in every corner of the country.

Channel’s News Con trol Room Head Sand

eep Mishra, Consulting

and Consulting Editor Bihar Prashant Jha dis cussed how every small and big news on 243 as sembly seats of Bihar reached the viewers of Bharat24. Vice- Presi dent Sales Vishal Ma thur briefed all the re porters. Along with this, the correspond ents were motivated to make the slogan of Dr Jagdeesh Chandra Bharat24 ‘New Vision of India,’ a success.

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

A special team identified accused Ashish Paswan through technical evidence

Kyatale Santosh Ramesh was terminated in March 2021 for his negligent behaviour at a thermal power plant

Prashant Jha & Manoj K Singh

Editor Shishir Awasthi

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra extends floral greetings to Anurag Thakur during their meeting in Jaipur on Wednesday.

Sandeep Mishra, Shishir Awasthi, Vishal Mathur and Prashant Jha along with team in Patna.

Sandeep Mishra, Shishir Awasthi, Vishal Mathur, Manoj Kumar Singh and Kanhaiya Kumar along with team in Ranchi.

Thakur’s ‘billion dollar’ plan to generate money for I&B Ministry!

f your soul is bo hemian, free and gypsy wild. Come swim in the calm ing sea and be mermaids for a while, each season, we come upon new sources of inspiration that not only

result in intriguing silhou ettes but also surface innova tions. Making is an example of inspiration. When Mer maidcore, which combines the terms “mermaid” and “normcore,” is the most re cent fad that designers have adopted. Fashion’s desire for a different world in these un certain times caused by the coronavirus is evident. With out much certainty regard ing the future, it is simpler to suffocate in the depths of the ocean, where there is a di verse array of flora and fau na in addition to peace and strength. This aquatic-in spired style is fueled in part

maids were featured in the Spring/Summer 2021 collec tions. With Kendall Jenner, Precious Lee, and Hailey Bie ber gracing the cover of Ver sace’s spring 2021 advertis ing campaign alongside a sea of jellyfish, the campaign stands out.

nipulation was used to trans late components inspired by the ocean into collections. Whether it’s through patch worked coral and seashell patterns on black mesh pants and shifts, fish and sea ur

www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/ thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

by a rise in interest in sus tainability and ecology.

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR

uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

CHRISTMAS CAKES WINES and

During winter, or anges are one of the fruits associated with Christmas and are available in the north ern countries. Orange peelis candied or the juice from orange is used in cakes.

hristmas is celebrat ed as a reli gious and cultural festival by billions of people around the world. It is an annual festival that recalls the birth of Jesus Christ observed most commonly on the 25th of December and is an integral part of the holiday season. Carol singing, decorating the house in red and green and prepara tion of a sumptuous meal are the high lights of the celebra tion.

One of the most im portant part of the special holiday cele bration, is the food that is prepared and served. Based on the cultural practises, the meal varies greatly from country to coun try. A standard Christ mas meal in the Unit ed Kingdom and the countries influenced by its tradition in clude large birds like turkey or goose, pota toes, vegetables, sometimes bread and cider. Rich fruitcake, Eggnog, Christmas pudding are few of the special desserts.

Brandy, rum, wine or bourbon are often added in cooking or consumed as such. It gives warmth to the body and pacifies the mind. Without a glass of sweet grape wine and a piece of fruit cake, Christmas din ner would be incom plete.

Homemade Christmas Wine : Wine making is a longstanding tradi tion, which holds good especially dur ing Christmas. The homemade wine prep aration begins early in October, as the weather is not as ideal in tropical countries as compared to the west. Wine making is still done at home by few while many opt to buy them from stores.

The fermentation period is briefer for sweet grape wine as the process is halted before all the sugar turns to alcohol.

The color of this wine is from the red pigment in the grape skin. Grapes give the flavor, sweetness is from the sugar, the yeast ferments, and spices bring out the aroma. Wheat or bar ley acts as the clarify ing agent and adds strength to the wine.

CHRISTMAS

CAKE

Spices, dried fruits and candied peels add bitter aromatic flavours to the cake, which is otherwise sweet, and this is what makes the Christmas fruit cake different from a regular fruitcake. The spices add flavour and favour digestion. Figs, prunes, apricot are the commonly used dried fruits in cakes, which are high-calorie but contain no fat, cholesterol or sodium. Apricots, prunes and figs are packed with beta-carotene while plums are potassium rich and prunes favour digestion due to its fi bre content. Nuts, are rich in fibre, phytonutrients, antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are packed in nuts, been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.

EGGLESS CHRISTMAS CAKE RECIPE

z Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes

z Serving size: 6 - 7

z Ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

z To soak in the rum:

z Raisins - ½ cup

z Chopped cashews½ cup

z Chopped citrus peels - ¼ cup

z Apricots (dry or fresh) - 8-9

z Chopped dates - ½ cup

z Tutti fruity - ¼ cup

z Glazed cherries, sliced - 9-10

z Rum or orange juice or apple juice - 1 cup

z To make the sponge:

z All purpose flour1½ cup

z Whole wheat flour¾ cup

z Demerara sugar or brown sugar or pow dered sugar - 1 and ½ cup

z Oil or melted butter - 1 cup

z Soy milk or any nut milk or dairy milk - 1 cup

z Apple cider or regular vinegar - 2 tbsp

z Baking soda - 1 tsp

z Baking powder - ½ tsp

z Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

z Spices, powdered:

z Cinnamon - 1 inch or 1.5 inches

z Cloves - 2

z Cardamom - 2

z Grated nutmeg – a pinch or two

PREPA RATION METHOD

Soaking the dry fruits: Chop all the dry fruits and take them in a bowl. Pour rum in the bowl. Cover the bowl let the dry fruits soak for 12 or 24 hours.Stir or shake at intervals so that the dry fruits get soaked evenly.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20

You are likely to find the day most auspicious. Your knowledge about your line of work will be roundly appreciated and get you the thumbs up from higher ups. Friends and family may get together to give you a surprise and make your day. Business travel may leave little time for romance.

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20

Previous investments are likely to give you good returns. Some of you may decide to follow in the footsteps of celebrities and visit the very same exotic destination that they had been to.No amount of excuses will dispel lover’s suspicions about your tendency to stray the path.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22 Money coming from various streams will keep you in an elated state of mind. A new fitness regime that you have adopted promises to keep you in the pink of health. Getting an old furniture upholstered may be at the top of the mind of some homemakers. Your search for perfect partner may soon be over.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

A vacation you only dreamed about is likely to become a reality soon. Healthy eating will help prevent digestive ailments. So don’t drool after those junk foods. Money will be no constraint in buying what you like. Driving down with lover to a happening place is indicated today.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV 23 - DEC 22

Continue doing whatever you are doing to remain healthy. Some of you will have to curb your splurging ways.

Family life will cruise along smoothly with much love and bonhomie. Don’t speed up on the road. Chance of moving to a new location on transfer is likely for some.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

People falling under this sign will have a refreshing day. Visiting a mall or watching a movie is likely to be the highlight of the day for some. You may enjoy travelling to a tourist destination recommended by your friends. Reignite the flickering romance in your life by spending more time together.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Money put together on previous occasions is likely to come in handy now. A family youngster is keen to learn from you, so don’t disappoint. Settling down in a new house is indicated for some.You may have to awaken partner’s interest in you once again.

VIRGO

AUG 24 - SEP 23

Something you have implemented at work is likely to profit the company. You are likely to celebrate the achievement of a youngster in a grand way. Shifting into your house may soon become a reality. An exotic island destination beckons, for which you may already be making plans!

YOUR DAY

Your financial situation is set to improve, as earning opportunities come to you. Help from co-workers in a time consuming task will be forthcoming on the work front. Support of family will encourage you to take up a challenge. Socially, your presence will be much looked forward to.

CAPRICORN

DEC 23 - JAN 20

Some clarification will need to be sought on a financial issue, before you take the next step. A project left halfway by someone else may come on your shoulders, but your efforts will be acknowledged. Some of you are all set to enjoy a splendid vacation.

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 - FEB 19

You will derive great benefit from an exercise routine that you keenly follow. Extra workload is foreseen at work, but nothing that you cannot handle within office hours. Taking the family on a trip seems impossible today due to your professional commitments, so postpone it for some other day.

PISCES

FEB20 - MARCH 20

Your stars favour a bright beautiful day . A setback you have recently experienced can make you come out stronger. Tax advisor will be a big help in saving taxes, so don’t hesitate to contact one.It is difficult for the relationship of friends turned lovers to fall apart, so relax.

FACEOFTHEDAY

PREPARING THE CAKE

n Grind the whole spices in a dry grinder and keep aside. n Grease a loaf pan or a round cake pan with oil or butter paper (6.5 inches round pan was used).

begin to froth. Then, add this mixture to the cake batter.

Add vanilla extract and mix. Pour in the cake pan.

Spread the batter uniformly in the cake pan. n Place the sliced cherries on the top. n Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or more or less depending on your oven at 180 degrees C. The cake can be stored in an airtight con tainer for two weeks.

In a bowl add soymilk, apple ci der and stir gently.

SOURCE: Christmas Feast, It’s al ways Grand with Cake and Wine (medindia.net)

DIKSHA PAWAR, Model

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

JULIA SAMUEL, M.PHIL cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

First look of ‘BLURR’

Taapsee is all set for her next film titled Blurr. The actress today anncounced the release date on her social handle and also shared the first look. Sharing it, Taapsee wrote, “There’s always more than what meets the eye!

#BlurrOnZEE5 premieres 9th De cember.” As reported, the sto ry revolves around a wom an and her struggles. This film is about a Gayatri who is slowly losing her sight whilst trying to investigate the death of her twin sister.

SONAM KAPOOR’S

CHIC AIRPORT LOOK!

Actress Sonam Kapoor is currently enjoying a new phase of her life. On August 20, she and her husband Anand Ahuja welcomed a baby boy to the family. The couple named their son Vayu. Sonam keeps shar ing glimpses of her son on Insta gram. Meanwhile, the new mom was seen making heads turn on Wednesday as she was clicked at the Mumbai airport. The ac tress never fails to impress when it comes to fashion. Earlier today, Sonam was seen making a starry appearance at the airport. Her son Vayu was not seen accompanying her. She was seen sporting a chic green dress with funky prints. She wore a match ing jacket and styled the look with a black trench coat. She opted for high black boots, layered chains and a messy bun to com plete her look. Sonam also wore quirky sunglasses to amp up her overall look.

Alia’s obsession with ANANYA’S PLAY-ON-DATE DRESS

nanya Panday stepped out for Kartik Aaryan’s birthday bash in a picture-perfect white ruched dress. However, what we cannot get over is the envy-worthy lilac bag that takes the ensemble to a whole new level of per fection. This party sea son certainly brought in an influx of solidcoloured ensembles and Ananya has

certainly been on top of it. With her latest appearance, she served lessons on how

Priyanka’s shocking REVELATION

riyanka Chopra needs no introduction and always leaves her fans stunned with her acting skills and amazing work.

A few weeks back, Priyanka who resides in Los Angeles with her husband-singer Nick Jo nas and daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas, recently visited India after three long years and was busy with her work commit ments. During her visit, Priyanka inter acted with YouTuber Ranveer Allahba dia aka BeerBiceps for his podcast, The Ranveer Show and during their chat, the actress shared that people were trying to ‘jeopardise’ her career and also take away from her work. While others also made sure she wasn’t cast just because she was doing well in what she was doing. Further, she continued that it’s not something that stops her. “I don’t sit and wait and harp on, maybe I will cry one night when an opportunity was taken away from me, but I don’t sit in the s**t. You have to shut off the noise,” she added.

icky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar and Kiara Advani are busy pro moting their upcom ing film - the Shashank Khaitan-directed Govinda Naam Mera. Vicky and Ki ara play choreog raphers in the movie. Recent ly, when asked, who from the film industry would the

team like to choreograph for, here’s what they had to say. “I would like to choreograph Katrina Kaif, woh theek thaak dance karti hai. Tal ented hai ladki, better kar sakti hai,” laughs Vicky, fur ther adding, “Bas aaj khana nahin milega”.

Vicky and Katrina got married in December last year in Rajasthan in the pres ence of their families and close friends. Has life

without going OTT. As Ananya Panday paus es and poses for the paps at Kartik Aaryan’s birthday bash she proves a white look has a timeless charm and is a fail-safe option when you want to step out in style. She chose to sport a Sirene Dress in White by House of CB. The dress is a figure-perfecting cura tion entirely made up of luxurious organza mesh that delivers a sheer look.

‘WEIGHT AND BODY’

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has come a long way in her acting career. At the time of her first film’s release, Alia was just 19 years old. In past inter views, she had mentioned that she lost weight before she forayed into Bollywood. Now, in a recent interview, Alia revealed

to style a white ruched dress to make a feminine and flattering statement

Sonam Kapoor

Ananya in white ruched dress

Ananya Panday Vicky’s

confession!

Taapsee Pannu

Priyanka Chopra

Alia Bhatt Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif

Poster of the film

ACTING IS MY EVERYTHING , IT'S MY LIFE: NAWAZUDDIN

International Film fes tival of India(IFFI), be ing held in Goa from 20 to 28 November 2022.

Speaking about his journey of becoming an actor, he said that after graduating from a local

When asked about the struggles and chal lenges that he faced in the early days of his career, Nawazuddin told that he was offered small roles which he

had to accept as he had no other alternative and he had to survive.

“It is the difficult time that makes you strong,” he said.

Responding to a question on how Gangs

din Siddiqui also shared his experience of working on web se ries on Netflix and oth er OTT platforms. He said that initially, he was hesitant to work in series on OTT plat forms as he had no idea about them. However, Anurag Kashyap con vinced him for working on this platform. It is to be noted that the Sa cred Games web series turned out to be a big hit on Netflix.

Nawazuddin also shared his words of wisdom on playing ver satile roles in biopics Manto, where he played the role of prominent Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto, and Thackeray, in which he played Indian politician Bal Thackeray.

When asked where he gets the drive and motivation to work every day, Nawa zuddin said that acting is his hobby and I don’t get tired of it. “Acting is my everything, it's my life. Even one life is not enough to satiate my thirst for acting”, he added further.

BHARATIYA CHITRA SADHNA: A PLATFORM FOR THE YOUTH

Cinema is such a strongest media that leaves a longlasting impact on any progressive soci ety and especially on youngsters’ minds.

To encourage tal ented young film makers committed to Bharatiya ethics.

Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna (BCS) came into existence in 2016. Among our core objectives, the fore most is to pro mote Bharatiya ta in cinema be ing created in Bharat and abroad.

To achieve our goals, BCS has started or ganising competitive film festivals at the national level and such festivals are to be held at the inter

national level also shortly.

Speaking about the viewpoint behind BCS founder Atul Gangwar shared, “The main mo tive is to find the youth of the nation and train them for the Indian Film In dustry and give them their much deserved Recognition and Ex posure. Bhartiya Chi tra Sadhna has or

ganised more than 4-5 festivals through out 2016-2022 which have been spread over different re gions of the country. He added, “ The Youth of the nation that has not been ex posed to other popu lar National Festivals our organisation helps them to bridge this gap. Now we are keen on organising one workshop in Mumbai where the Industry Stalwarts from their respective fields will come and train 30 selected youth from all over the country.

To explore hidden talent, BCS conducts workshops across the nation to train young sters to have an inter est in cinematography.

The trailer of Maar rich has been well received and cre ated a lot of con versations amongst the audience. The makers have now unveiled a new surprise for the fans. The makers revealed that they have shot multiple endings for the film and are yet to decide on the final one.

Speaking about this di

rector Dhruv Lather said, “We wanted to keep the audiences glued till the end of the film, we wanted them to guess and let them feel they are right and then suddenly we would blow them with a twist, hence we de cided to shoot multiple endings to increase the intrigue and curiosity lev el even more.”

BHUMI'S cosmetic surgery?

Since making her acting debut in ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’, Bhumi Pednekar has advanced significantly in both her profession and appear ance. Bhumi's most re cent appearance at an awards presentation has drawn a lot of attention since some online com menters think she had plastic surgery. The ac tress made a beautiful en trance at the most recent Filmfare Middle East awards in Dubai, which

sparked rumours that she has done cosmetic sur gery. In a sparkly white gown that highlighted her cleavage and toned legs, Bhumi looked absolutely stunning. She also shared a few of her stunning pho tos on her Instagram ac count, where her stun ningly unique features caused a stir. While many people complimented the actress, some began to as sert that she had received cosmetic procedures to make her appear more at tractive.

Adding to this actor and producer Tusshar Kapoor said, “ I feel extremely blessed for the love I’ve been receiving for the trailer across cities. We decided to shoot multiple endings to increase the suspense level in the film, we are yet to choose the final one as we aim to sur prise the audiences and give them something they didn’t expect at all.”

Priyanka reveals Malti's face!

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jo nas may be busy with their re spective careers, but they still make sure that they are doting parents. The couple has time and again shared glimpses of their daughter but always made sure to not reveal her face. Now, ditching the regular heart emoji that hides Priyanka's daughter, Malti Marie Chopra Jonas' face, the actor shared a photo of their daughter.

The munchkin could be seen dozing off while sitting in her chair with the hem of her beanie hiding her eyes. Even though her whole face was not visible in the im age, she sure looked absolutely cute! Pri yanka captioned the photo, "I mean".

Priyanka and Nick welcomed their daughter in January 2022 via surrogacy. While they had kept the pregnancy un der wraps, they announced the news after the birth of their daughter, sending the internet into a frenzy.

The couple has since then made sure to cel ebrate each festival together and even ditched award shows to be at home with their kid.

A spine-chilling coincidence

Everyone has heard of the recent horror in Delhi, of a woman being mur dered and mutilated.

In an eerie Similari ty, the latest trailer of 'Major' Fame, Ad ivi Sesh's latest film, "HIT - The Second Case" depicts the ex act same crime!

The coincidence of a film that was written a year ago releasing within a week of such a gruesome re al-life tragedy, is both shocking and incidental. Further more, the mention of the name "Shrad dha" in the trailer sends shivers and chills down one's spine.

HIT 2 is the second instalment from Dr Sailesh Kolanu's HIT Verse. The film is di rected by Sailesh Ko lanu and is all set to hit the screens on December 2, 2022. As the release date is closing in, today the makers delighted movie lovers with the thrilling trailer.

The trailer gives us a sneak peek into the jour ney of a cool cop, Krishna Dev, who comes across a ter rifying case. In the trailer, KD mocks criminals as "bird brained," and then he finds himself solving the grue some murder that shook the entire city.

ASHISH TIWARI

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Still from the movie

Poster of the film

Atul Gangwar at IFFI