First India-Mumbai Edition-24th March 2023

KIRAN MAZUMDAR SHAW TO RETIRE AS INDEPENDENT DIR OF INFOSYS

New Delhi: Infosys on Thursday announced the retirement of Kiran Mazumdar Shaw as independent director of board, effective Thursday, upon completion of her tenure. The board has appointed D Sundaram as the lead independent director of the company.

AGO, SHAKESPEARE

KANNADA ACTOR GETS BAIL IN ‘OFFENSIVE’ TWEET CASE

Bengaluru: Kannada actor Chetan granted bail on a surety of 2 persons and a `25,000 bond. He was sent to JC for 14 days by 13 ACMM Court in Bengaluru after being arrested for posting an ‘offensive’ tweet.

074 CHANNEL NO

NARENDRA MODI GOVT SECURING INDIA’S ANCIENT BOOKS: SHAH

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday said the Narendra Modi govt is securing knowledge in India’s ancient books & manuscripts for future through technology. He said this at launch of Veidic heritage portal & a virtual museum - ‘Kala Vaibhav’ - built by IGNCA. P5

MUMBAI l FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2023 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 314 www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

EXPRESSED, ‘WHAT’S IN A NAME?’, BUT IN PRESENT TIMES, WE BELIEVE...

A LOT’ IN A NAME!

In ‘Modi Surname’ remarks case, Rahul gets 2 years jail; granted bail, 30 days to appeal

Moni Sharma

Surat/New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about PM Narendra Modi’s surname by a court in Gujarat’s Surat.

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in higher court, Cong leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said. Today, all Opposition parties will march from Parliament to the Rash trapati Bhavan. Con gress said it has sought time from President Droupadi Murmu to present the Rahul’s case. P5

BJP balances castes in new chiefs for 4 Oppn-ruled States

—Rahul Gandhi, Congress

Ajay Banga on Delhi visit, to meet Modi, Sitha, EAM

New Delhi (FIB): The former Mastercard CEO and the US candidate to lead the World Bank, Ajay Banga arrived in India on Thursday and is set to meet PM Narendra Modi, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister

Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi today. Ajay Banga’s visit to India will bring an end to his “global listening tour” where he talked with donor countries and the borrowers to gather support and discuss issues of the World Bank.

WHAT DID RAHUL GANDHI SAY AT A RALLY IN KARNATAKA’S KOLAR DISTRICT IN 2019?

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made remarks while addressing a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar district ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, targetting PM Narendra Modi over his last name which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. In his complaint, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi alleged that Gandhi defamed the entire Modi community. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged, how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?

SENIOR I&B ADVISOR EXPLAINS WHY

RAHUL FACES DISQUALIFICATION AS MP

As per Representation of People Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment of 2 years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another 6 years after serving time. Kanchan Gupta senior advisor, Ministry of I&B said that Rahul Gandhi is staring at disqualification because he was convicted in a criminal case and handed a two-year prison term for the same.

I would urge Rahul Gandhi if he represents the politics of truth and love as he claims, he must come to terms with the fact that today PM Modi is the most loved, admired and the most trusted leader in India and across the world.

—Piyush Goyal, Union Minister

DIDI-PATNAIK MEET, POL MATTERS OFF

Nadda

JP

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday named 4 new state presidents, including Lok Sabha MP CP

Joshi in Rajasthan and OBC leader and MLC

Samrat Choudhary in Bihar, as the party moves to tone up its organisational machinery with an eye on consolidating its support base in the run up to crucial state and national polls.

Chandra

First India Bureau Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said there appeared some kind of design behind the incidents of “love jihad”. He was speaking in

the Legislative Council while responding to a calling-attention motion moved by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Gopichand Padalkar.

Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, told the Upper House of the state legislature, “Prima facie, it appears that there is some kind of design behind such (love jihad) incidents. When there have been a large number of rallies by the majority community (on the issue), the government cannot ignore it. It needs to take cogni-

sance of their demands.”

“Love jihad” is a term often used by rightwing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men

He has been granted bail. We knew from the beginning because they kept changing judges. We believe in law, judiciary and we will fight against this as per law.

—Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that I believe in truth and non-violence. Does believing in truth and non-violence mean humiliating people?

—Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP leader

The entire scared machinery of power is trying to suppress the voice of Rahul through ‘saam, daam, dand, bhed’. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He has lived speaking the truth, will continue to speak the truth.

—Priyanka Gandhi, Congress leader

‘LAST LOCATION OF SINGH IN HRY’ MOCK DRILLS FOR COVID AT HOSPS RAMZAN PIETY, FERVOUR BEGINS

Chandigarh: Punjab’s IGP, Headquarters, Sukhchain Singh Gillon Thursday said, “We are still actively searching for Amritpal Singh and have come to know that its last location was in Haryana. We have taken a woman named Baljeet Kaur into custody. We’ve detained 207 people so far in Singh’s case.” P6

New Delhi: Amid spike in influenza cases in the country and the uptick in Covid-19 cases over past couple of weeks, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday said a mock drill will be done soon in all States & UTs to assess their preparedness to meet the twin threats to public health. P6

New Delhi: Speakers atop mosques sounded soon after the evening prayers on Thursday, heralding the onset of the holy month of Ramzan. This means that the first day of Ramzan, and the first day of fasting, corresponds today. All arrangements were made for taraweeh, special night prayers in Ramzan

There are certain challenges to formulate a law against it. If (religious) conversion takes place, IPC section 420 (that deals with cheating) is invoked. But the definition of that section is not defined for religious conversions. Therefore, we need to make new laws for the same.

—Devendra Fadnavis, Dy CM

to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.

Fadnavis said, “I do not have the exact number of cases or com-

plaints related to ‘love jihad’. It is a term coined in Kerala.”

“There are certain challenges to formulate a law against it. If (religious) conversion takes place, Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 420 (that deals with cheating) is invoked. But the definition of that section is not defined for religious conversions.

Therefore, we need to make new laws for the same,” he said.

In December last year, Fadnavis had said the state govt will study laws on “love jihad” framed by other states

and take an appropriate decision. At that time, Fadnavis had told the Assembly that there was a demand for a tough law on “love jihad”. The govt has set up a committee to gather information on the interfaith and inter-caste marriage couples and the maternal families of the women involved if they are estranged. The chief of the committee and state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha had said the move was aimed at avoiding a repeat of the Shraddha Walkar murder case.

My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, nonviolence the means to get it.

leader

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches the Surat District Court on Thursday.

PHOTO BY PTI

Samrat Choudhary Virendra Sachdeva

Rajasthan

Bihar

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & MUMBAI

CRUCIAL READ

large number of rallies by the majority community (on the issue), the govt needs to take cognizance of their demands’

Relief for Raj Thackeray in case over anti-north-Indians protest

Bombay High Court quashes Sangli court’s order rejecting MNS chief’s discharge plea

First India Bureau

Mumbai: In relief to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, the Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed an order of a court in Sangli district which had rejected the former’s discharge application in a 2008 case related to a protest organized by his party’s workers.

A single judge bench of Justice Amit Borkar directed the sessions court at Islampur in Sangli district to hear the discharge application afresh.

The MNS chief was arrested on October 21,

2008, in Ratnagiri district in connection with an agitation launched by his party against north Indians residing in Maharashtra. The regional party had claimed north Indians deprived the “sons of the soil” from getting employment in the state.

Following Thackeray’s arrest, riots broke out in Mumbai, Jalgaon, Aurangabad and various other parts of the state. Several cases were registered against the 54-year-old MNS leader and his supporters. One such FIR (first information report) was registered in Sangli district for unlawful assembly and breach of peace, and Thackeray had filed a discharge application in 2013 before a magistrate’s court there.

The magistrate’s court had rejected the application and summoned Thackeray to ap-

THE CASE

pear before it for framing of charges. The MNS president then moved the sessions court which also turned down his review application seeking discharge from the case. Thackeray challenged the order in the HC, saying there was lack of proper reasoning in the sessions court

order rejecting his discharge application.

The HC, accepting his contention, set aside the sessions court order. Discharge is a pretrial stage that comes after a chargesheet has been filed in a case, but before charges are framed by the court concerned against an

accused. Under this legal remedy, an accused is entitled to be discharged from a case if the evidence provided to the court is not considered sufficient to prove the offence.

JUDGE SERIOUS AFTER 2-WHEELER RAMS INTO HIM

Kolhapur: A 54-year-old district judge suffered serious injuries after he was hit by a two-wheeler in Kolhapur, a police official said on Thursday. Judge RN Ambatkar was out on an evening walk along Yadrav-Jambhali road in Shirol on Tuesday when the incident took place, he said. “He received injuries to the head and is in the ICU. He underwent surgery on Wednesday,” Assistant Inspector Abhijit Patil of Shahpur police station said. Doctors say he is on ventilator support.

CAR-TRUCK COLLISION LEAVES DOC COUPLE DEAD

Chandrapur: A man and his wife, both doctors, were killed after their car was hit by a truck in Chandrapur district, police said on Thursday. The incident took place near Shebal village on Warora-Wani road on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased have been identified as Dr Atul Gaurkar and Dr Ashwini Gaurkar, he said. “The truck was coming from the opposite direction. Ashwini, died on the spot, while Atul succumbed to his injuries en route to a nearby hospital,” he said.

RAINS PREDICTED FOR FOUR DISTRICTS OF MARATHWADA OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS

Aurangabad: Osmanabad, Parbhani, Latur, and Nanded districts of Marathwada are likely to see lightning, gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph, and light to medium rain spells on Friday and Saturday, said the officials of the Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agriculture University’s meteorological department. Unseasonal showers had lashed all eight districts of the region last week, causing the deaths of five persons and widespread damage to crops.

2 HURT IN FIRE AT HEALTHCARE FIRM IN PALGHAR

Palghar: Two persons were injured in a fire in a health care firm in Palghar district on Thursday morning, an official said. The fire broke out in the reactor of the firm, located in the Tarapur MIDC industrial area, at 6:30 am. leaving two workers with burn injuries, Palghar Fire Station official Dinesh Ambure said. “The two, in their mid-20s, have been hospitalized. The fire was doused in two hours. The cause of the blaze is being ascertained,” he added.

ANTILIA BOMB

SCARE

CASE Can’t support ex-cop Mane’s plea to turn approver: NIA

Mumbai (PTI): The National Investigation Agency on Thursday opposed the plea of disgraced former policeman Sunil Mane seeking to turn approver in the case pertaining to the recovery of an explosivesladen SUV outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence and the subsequent murder of Mansukh Hiren.

The federal agency in its written response filed before the special NIA court here said it is “crystal clear” that the applicant (Mane) is directly involved in the crime of this case along with the co-accused and it cannot support his plea.

In a handwritten application sent to the court last month, Mane said that he had realized his mistake and that the court should consider his “outstanding ” service record and give him a chance to “repent his

The case involves an explosives-laden vehicle found parked near Ambani’s house Antilia on February 25, 2021.

mistake” by granting him a pardon.

Mane was arrested by the NIA in April 2021 and is currently in judicial custody.

The NIA has claimed Mane was part of the conspiracy to kill Thane-based businessman Hiren, who purportedly owned the explosives-laden vehicle that was found parked near Ambani’s house Antilia in south Mumbai on February 25, 2021. Hiren’s body was found

CRUCIAL READ Malegaon blast case witness turns hostile, 30th so far

First India Bureau Mumbai: A real estate agent on Thursday became the 30th witness to turn hostile in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. The witness had been recruited as secret informer by Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit, one of the accused in the case, in which Bharatiya Janata Party MP Pragya Thakur is also an accused.

According to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which initially investigated the case, the wit-

4 BOOKED FOR TRYING TO KILL CARPENTER

Thane: Four persons were booked for allegedly attempting to murder a carpenter in Navi Mumbai in Thane district, a police official said on Thursday. “The carpenter, who works at the site, was assaulted by his supervisor and three others when he sought his wages for the month as he wanted to travel to his native place.

The accused pushed him from the third floor of the site, leaving him severely injured,” he said. No one has been arrested yet, the official added.

ness had given it a statement back in 2008.

However, when deposed before the court, the realtor said he did not recollect giving any statement to the ATS, after which the court declared him as hostile.

He is the 30th witness to turn hostile in the case, the prosecution has said.

The witness had told the ATS that he met Purohit through a common acquaintance, the prosecution said, citing the alleged statement. Later, Purhohit recruited

him for gathering information for the military intelligence and

Former Union Minister’s nephew, one

person found dead

Chandrapur (PTI):

The nephew of former Union Minister Hansraj Ahir and another person were found hanging from trees in Chandigarh after the two went there from their native Chandrapur in Maharashtra more than a week ago.

Ahir, a former Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha MP, is currently chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes. The deceased, Mahesh Harishchandra Ahir and his friend Harish Dhote, both in their

Chandrapur natives were discovered hanging from trees in Chandigarh

also gave him an identity card, the ATS said. Purohit spoke about

spreading the Hindutva ideology and told him that he was working on building an organization on those lines, the ATS had quoted the witness as saying.

The witness had also attended a meeting of the secret organization Abhinav Bharat in Pune where other accused were also present, the statement claimed.

The witness, however, only recognized Purohit in the court on Thursday and not any of the other accused.

Counterfeiting food brands: Man booked

First India Bureau

in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 05.

In its written reply, the NIA submitted that the charge sheet details the role of Mane and the co-accused. “It is crystal clear that the applicant is directly involved in the crime of this case along with his co-accused persons,” it said. Besides Mane, other former policemen accused in the case include Sachin Waze, Pradeep Sharma and Vinayak Shinde.

Maha records

198 COVID-19 cases, zero fatalities

Mumbai (PTI): In a recent update on the COVID-19 situation in the state, it has been reported that there were 198 new coronavirus cases, zero deaths, and 229 recoveries on Thursday. The state's COVID-19 tally has now risen to 81,40,677 with a death toll of 1,48,430. There are currently 1,617 active cases in the state.

mid-20s, had gone to Chandigarh eight days ago, after which kin could not contact them, an aide of the former Union minister said.

"Family members then filed a missing person complaint at Chandrapur police station on

March 15 and Superintendent of Police Ravindrasinh Pardeshi sent a team to Chandigarh. On Wednesday evening, Ahir and Dhote were found hanging from trees in Chandigarh," he said.

Relatives of the two deceased have left for Chandigarh to get the bodies back, he added.

RAHUL GANDHI CONVICTION

Thane: A man has been accused of producing, storing, and circulating counterfeit food products from different well-known brands, including a popular company's chocolate spread, in his warehouse located in Thane city, Maharashtra. On March 08, the police raided the warehouse and confiscated various bogus food items amounting to Rs10.5 lakh, resulting in the filing of a case against the suspect by the Narpoli police sta-

tion in the Bhiwandi division.

An offense under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 420 (cheating), the Copyright Act, and the Trade Marks Act have been registered against the stockist.

“The accused manufactured the food items and packed them in such a manner that it becomes difficult to differentiate between a fake and an original product. He distributed these food items in the market through dealers,” the police official said, adding that the investigation is on.

It was also noted that on Wednesday, the state recorded 334 new cases and one death. The case fatality rate remains at 1.82%. The number of recoveries has now reached 79,90,630, with 229 people recovering from the virus since the previous evening. The state's recovery rate stands at 98.16%.

Furthermore, it has been reported that 2,381 tests were conducted since the previous evening, bringing the total number of tests conducted so far to 8,65,65,883.

Central agencies, courts heading towards dictatorship: MP Raut

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Shiv Sena - UBT leader said Gandhi made a statement at a political rally and it has to be made clear who has been defamed

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Shiv Sena -Uddhav Balasaheb

Thackeray (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a criminal defamation case indicates that central agencies and courts are heading towards a direction that invites dictatorship and sup-

presses the voice of the opposition.

Talking to reporters, Raut said Gandhi had made a statement at a political rally and it has to be made clear who has been defamed.

“The court is in Surat in Gujarat. So the result was not unexpected,” Raut said.

“It is in their (the Bharatiya Janata Party) hand to award pun-

ishment be it the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or courts. They are all going in one direction which is inviting dictatorship and suppressing the voice of the opposition. But it will strengthen the voice of the opposition,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

The Shiv Sena - UBT

leader said the opposition will keep fighting for democracy.

A court at Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged remark, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”, based on a

complaint by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500 (dealing with defamation), also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

—FILE PHOTO

Six people were killed and more than 100 injured on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device went off near a mosque in Malegaon. —FILE PHOTO

more

Hansraj Ahir —FILE PHOTO

CRUCIAL READ EXPLOSIVES AND OTHER ARTICLES RECOVERED

Gadchiroli: Explosives and other articles suspected to be hidden by Naxalites were recovered from near a village in Gadchiroli district, police said on Thursday. A special squad on an anti-Naxalite operation in Nelgunda village under Bhamragadh taluka found claymore mines, two cooker bombs, steel pipes, and three bundles of electric wires, among other articles, at two separate roads, on Wednesday, said a press release. The police have disposed of the explosives.

WOMAN’S BODY FOUND, MURDER CASE REGISTERED

Non-payment of fees: Maha to set up panel to resolve issues

LEXICON CASE

10 personnel of pvt insurer booked for duping farmers

Thane: An unidentified woman’s body was discovered in a thicket in Navi Mumbai, leading to the registration of a murder case, according to a police officer on Thursday. The woman, who was in her mid-30s, was found in Adavali Bhutavali village on Wednesday, as per the official from the Turbhe police station. “She has been bludgeoned to death with a stone. We have registered a murder case and efforts are on to nab those involved,” he added.

First India Bureau Mumbai: State minister Deepak Kesarkar on Thursday told the Legislative Assembly that a committee would be formed to resolve the issues arising out of nonpayment of fees in some private schools in the state so that students do not have to face any hardships.

The School Education Minister was replying to a debate during the question hour, where he said guidelines would be framed to ensure that students are not adversely im-

pacted. “Payment of fees for self-financed schools is mandatory. Parents have a choice as to which school to send their children,” Kesarkar said. Responding to supplementary questions, he said regulation of fees of private educational institutions is not in the government’s hands. Fees are charged as per the facilities provided,

the minister added.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA

Rajesh Tope said as 25% seats in self-financed schools are reserved under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the government should reimburse the schools. Kesarkar said the state has reimbursed self-financed schools Rs875 crore, of which Rs425 crore has been re-

ceived from the Centre till last year.

Replying to another question on restarting electricity connections to 9,262 government schools, the minister said the energy department will be told that the government will reimburse the electricity dues to schools. Schools are charged tariffs that are less than the residential rates, he said.

Referring to a question on 200 students of Lexicon International School at Wagholi in Pune being detained in the school for non-payment of fees, Kesarkar said there were arguments between the management of the school and parents. But no parent came forward to join the inquiry initiated by the Lonikand police station. Hence the police closed the case, he added.

‘NOT IN GOVT’S HANDS’ Kesarkar said regulation of fees of private educational institutions is not in the government’s hands, adding that fees are charged as per the facilities provided. “Payment of fees for self-financed schools is mandatory. Parents have a choice as to which school to send their children,” he said.

First India Bureau

Akola: Police have registered a case against 10 personnel of a leading private insurance company empanelled for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in Maharashtra's Akola district for allegedly duping farmers to the tune of Rs3.95 crore by submitting false information about their crop losses, an official said on Thursday.

ICICI Lombard insurance was appointed to implement the ‘Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme’ in Akola district

HISTORY-

SHEETER ON BAIL HELD FOR RICKSHAW THEFT

Thane: A history sheeter out on bail has been arrested for allegedly indulging in theft in Thane district, a police official said on Thursday. The 21-year-old man, who is also a mason, was arrested in Kalyan on Wednesday after he was tipped off for trying to sell a stolen autorickshaw, according to Property Cell Senior Inspector Anand Raorane. “The stolen autorickshaw has been seized. He had just come out on bail on March 9. He has committed crimes in various area of the city,” Raorane added.

VAJRESHWARI, KANHERI NOW TOURIST SPOTS

Mumbai: Kanheri Caves in Mumbai and Vajreshwari town in neighbouring Bhiwandi have been declared as tourist centres, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha told the Assembly on Thursday. Lodha made the statement during the debate on the budget demands of the tourism department. Kanheri Caves are situated in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the city, while Vajreshwari in the Bhiwandi taluka is known for an ancient temple and hot water springs.

Hindu bodies claim encroachment by dargah near temple grounds

—PHOTO BY PTI

Woman teacher at correctional home booked

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Nashik: A few Hindu organizations have demanded action claiming that a dargah in Nashik city has encroached space adjacent to a famous Ganesh temple.

While no complaint has been filed in this connection, Nashik civic chief said action will be taken if they come across any irregularities. The dargah sits close to the Navshya Ganpati temple in the city’s Anandvalli area on Gangapur Road. The temple was built in 1774 by Raghoba Peshwa and his wife Anandibai. The dargah is also believed to be quite old.

Sudarshan News

Channel editor Suresh Chavhanke, who also heads the Rashtra Nirman Sanstha, visited the temple on Thursday, along with members of his organization as well as the Hindu Ekta Andolan Party (HEAP).

“If anyone who supports Pakistan or any Muslim who gives trou-

ILLEGAL STRUCTURE OFF MUMBAI COAST REMOVED

Mumbai (PTI): A “mazar”-like structure being constructed without proper authorization off the coast of Mahim in Mumbai was on Thursday removed by district collectorate, civic and police personnel, an official said. Mumbai City Resident Collector Sadanand Jadhav told PTI the “mazar” (Muslim shrine or enshrined tomb) and the structure around it had come up illegally on revenue department land. A six-member

ble to Hindu religious places, Hindu girls and people, Hindu Rashtra Nirman Sanstha will stage an agitation against it. The authorities concerned should take action against this

team was formed for its demolition with the help of personnel from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Mumbai police, he added. “The BMC provided machinery for demolishing the illegal structure and Mumbai police gave security,” Jadhav informed.Incidentally, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had warned about the structure in his Gudi Padwa Melawa address on Wednesday evening.

encroachment,” HEAP’s national president Ramsingh Bawri said.

Nashik Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar said no encroachment will be

tolerated by the civic body.

“Officials will visit the site, conduct an inspection and action will be taken if there are any irregularities,” he said.

DISPLAY OF ART

Thane: A female teacher at a correctional home in Bhiwandi in Thane district has been charged for allegedly sexually harassing an inmate, a police official said on Thursday.

She was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Senior Inspector SA Indalkar of Shanti Nagar police station said.

After the inmate raised a complaint, the district court forwarded the issue to the collector.

The complaint in this connection was lodged by District Agriculture Superintendent Dr Murlidhar Ingle against the staff of ICICI Lombard insurance company, based on which a first information report (FIR) was registered on March 21 at Khadan police station in Akola.

The FIR says that the company staffers prepared false panchnama reports (survey forms), forged signatures of agriculture department officials to under-report the crop losses incurred due to unseasonal rains and other natural reasons, and prima facie cheated farmers to the tune of Rs3,95,09,177.

The 10 personnel of

the company were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 465, 467, 468 and 471 (all related to forgery), and 34 (common intention), it said.

The complaint said that ICICI Lombard insurance company was appointed to implement 'Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme' in Akola district for the kharif season 2022-23. Under this scheme, crop damage assessment is conducted in the presence of an agriculture department official, the affected farmer and a representative of the insurance company. The panchnama report is considered admissible after all the participants sign, it said.

Gram panchayats to get major share of Thane ZP’s ` 93 crore budget

First India Bureau

Thane: The outlay of the Thane Zilla Parishad budget for 2023-24 will be Rs92.89 crore, with gram panchayats getting a major chunk of Rs22.30 crore, a senior official said on Thursday.

Manuj Jindal, Thane ZP chief executive of-

ficer said Rs18.65 crore has been earmarked for buildings and transports, Rs9.30 crore for education, Rs5.87 crore for social welfare, and Rs4.47 crore for health.

"We have allocated Rs60 lakh to build smart libraries in schools, while Rs50 lakh will be used to get children of the people

working in brick kilns to attend school. Farmers will be given e-carts to sell vegetables, for which Rs20 lakh has been allotted," he said. The CEO stated that they have allocated Rs1.50 crore for the proper management of plastic waste and garbage.

Three-day international film festival in Latur city from March 26

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To be screened: ‘The Case’ (Russia)

‘Sonne’ (Austria), ‘Lailaj Brothers’ (Iran), ‘The Channel’ (France, Belgium), ‘Lyra’ (Ireland), among others

First India Bureau

Latur: A three-day international film festival organized in collaboration with the Maharashtra government will be held in Latur city from March 26, one of the organizers said on Thursday. The festival has been organized by Vilasrao Deshmukh Foundation in collaboration with Pune Film Foundation, Abhijat Film Society and the state government with an aim to introduce world cine-

ma to the local audience, he said.

The festival will be inaugurated on March 26 at 6 pm by former Maharashtra minister Amit Deshmukh. President of Pune Film Foundation and renowned director Jabbar Patel, former dean of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Samar Nakhate and others will be present on this occasion, he said.

“The objective of this festival is to let the audience know about the selection of themes for

awards at the Oscars and other festivals, the inspiration behind them, the scripts, among other things. During the festival, the

people of Latur will be able to enjoy foreign films as well as those made in our country. Although the festival is free for all, registration

is required for that at PVR theater from March 23,” the organizer said. After the inauguration on Sunday, the festival will begin with the screening of Swedish director Tariq Saleh’s film ‘Boy From Heaven’. Three Marathi films - ‘Girki’ directed by Kavita Dater and Amit Sonawane, ‘Diary of Vinayak Pandit’ directed by Mayur Karambalikar and ‘Global Adgaon’ directed by Anil Salve - will be screened during the fes-

tival. Films in other Indian languages, including ‘The Star is Moving’ (Tamil), ‘Soul of Silence’ (Assamese) will also be shown.

International films -

‘The Case’ (by director Nina Gauseva from Russia), ‘Sonne’ (by director Kurdvin Ayub from Austria), ‘Lailaj Brothers’ (by director Saeed Roussoi from Iran), ‘The Channel’ (by director Thierry Binshti from France, Belgium), ‘Lyra’ (by director Alison Miller from Ireland) among others.

‘BOY FROM HEAVEN’

After the inauguration on Sunday, the festival will begin with the screening of Swedish director Tariq Saleh’s film ‘Boy From Heaven’. Three Marathi films - ‘Girki’ directed by Kavita Dater and Amit Sonawane, ‘Diary of Vinayak Pandit’ directed by Mayur Karambalikar and ‘Global Adgaon’ directed by Anil Salve - will be screened during the festival.

The state has reimbursed self-financed schools Rs875 crore, of which Rs425 crore has been received from the Centre till last year. —FILE PHOTO

Guidelines would be framed to ensure that students are not adversely impacted, Min Kesarkar tells Maha Assembly

FIR says the company staffers prepared false panchnama reports.

Bulldozers being used to demolish the illegal construction at Mahim beach, in Mumbai on Thursday.

MEMORABLE LEAGUE STAGE PROMISES THRILLING GRAND FINALE FOR INAUGURAL WPL!

ASHOK GEHLOT BRINGS SMILE TO PEOPLE WITH BILL ON FREE HEALTHCARE

Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to pass a Bill on Right to Health. The Bill gives right to free health services to every resident of the state at all government health facilities and at select private centres. It is a Bill for which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has to be applauded as residents not only in Rajasthan but in other states as well need this largesse. It is a scheme which will not come under the category of “free revadis”. The problem would lie in its economic viability because the Bill’s implementation will put a burden on the state’s exchequer.

The vibrant tone for the tournament was set in the opening match itself when Harmanpreet Kaur and Co put up an outstanding batting display to take Mumbai Indians to a huge 207/5 in 20 overs. The WPL has clearly captured the imagination of cricket fans across the globe. If the play-off games can sustain the quality and drama of the league stage, the Women’s Premier League is all set for a grand finale over the next few days!

Everything that is first is considered special and remarkable and the inaugural season of the long-awaited WPL will go down as arguably one of the most remarkable events in cricketing history. The Delhi Capitals created history as they became the first finalists in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League when the league stage ended on Tuesday. The knockout stage will begin with the fancied Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz locking horns in the Eliminator on Friday, March 24. The final day of league stage action had a lot at stake even though the three teams set to qualify for the playoffs were already confirmed. While Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) both won their final matches and notched up the same number of points, it was DC that went through to the finals with a higher net run rate.

The 20 games in the league stage provided a range of thrilling contests and superb individual performances. To begin with MI raced to an electrifying start as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won all of their first five games in convincing fashion. With Harman in top form, MI

RAHUL IN THE DOCK, TROUBLES MOUNT

looked set to top the table.

But their shockingly onesided loss to DC and two defeats in a row showcased the glorious uncertainties of cricket. Mumbai Indians’ humiliating nine-wicket surrender to Delhi turned the tournament around on its head. While MI slipped up, DC and UP got into top gear. Both teams are captained by Aussie stars Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy.

But a major disappointment of the League has been RCB which was led by Smriti Mandhana who fetched the highest price in the WPL auction. They had a terrible start and Mandhana herself went through a horrible patch where she didn’t score a single 50 in the league. Royal Challengers lost their first 5 matches in a row and were the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs race.

The heartening factor has been the form of youngsters during the league stage. India’s under 19 captain, Shafali Verma, has been in excellent nick and has got a great opening partnership with Meg Lanning which has been a key to Delhi reaching the finals.

Another young batter, the 20-year-old Kanika Ahuja, was the unexpected star in Royal Challengers’ maiden triumph after 5 losses in a row. She scored an attractive and aggressive 46 to help break RCB’s streak of five consecutive defeats in the WPL on 15 March as the Bengaluru side secured a hard-fought five-

ongress party must be in a huddle after a court in Surat sentenced Rahul Gandhi to a two-year imprisonment in a criminal defamation case for saying, “How come all thieves have Modi surname” at a rally in Karnataka.

The heat directed at Rahul in parliament over his statement in London may also singe him even after he asked the Lok Sabha Speaker for permission to respond to the “scurrilous and defamatory claims” made by the BJP MPs. He is unlikely to get that opportunity, though. Instead, he could get suspended from the House if the Rajya Sabha Chairman so decides.

The sum total of all this is

The Delhi Capitals created history as they became the first finalists in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League when the league stage ended on Tuesday. The knockout stage will begin with the fancied Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz locking horns in the Eliminator on Friday, March 24

wicket win over UP Warriorz. The other youngsters to shine bright were Yastika Bhatia who scored vital runs for Mumbai Indians and Harleen Deol for Gujarat Giants. Harleen had a top score of 67 in the league and is an allrounder too.

On the bowling side, Saika Ishaque of Mumbai Indians has been a great find. Her 12 wickets at an average of 8.58 runs in the first 5 games reflect her rapid rise in the WPL. A left arm-spinner from a humble background in Bengal, she took on a lot of responsibility and in all MI games, she bowled in the powerplay overs which is no easy task.

In terms of individual performances on the batting side, Meg Lanning with 310 runs tops the table. Sadly, there is no Indian among the

The heat directed at Rahul in parliament over his statement in London may also singe him even after he asked the Lok Sabha Speaker for permission to respond to the “scurrilous and defamatory claims” made by the BJP MPs

that as troubles mount, Rahul and his party have to be constantly on the defensive, although his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that her brother will “continue to speak the truth”.

In the defamation case he has been allowed bail for 30 days and is sure to move the

top 5 scorers which has other international stars like Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy. Not surprisingly, 6 of the top 10 batters are Australians. Among Indian girls, it’s Shafali Verma with 241 runs who has scored the maximum though her average of 34.42 is less than Harmanpreet who has scored 230 runs at an average of 46.00.

In the list of most wicket taking bowlers in WPL, Indian players figure much better. Sophie Ecclestone of UP Warriorz tops the table with 14 wickets while Kiwi leg-spinner Amelia Kerr is next. Among Indian girls, it is Saika Ishaque who tops with 13 wickets for Mumbai Indians and encouragingly, pacer Shikha Pandey and all-rounder Deepti Sharma are also among the Top Ten bowlers in the league stage

It’s been a tournament with a large majority of games closely fought and there has been no dearth of individual heroics. The vibrant tone for the tournament was set in the opening match itself when Harmanpreet Kaur and Co put up an outstanding batting display to take Mumbai Indians to a huge 207/5 in 20 overs. The WPL has clearly captured the imagination of cricket fans across the globe. If the play-off games can sustain the quality and drama of the league stage, the Women’s Premier League is all set for a grand finale over the next few days!

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

high court and possibly also the Supreme Court. If his attempts to get the order quashed fail, Rahul’s political future could be in jeopardy as he will then lose membership of parliament for six years. But that’s not happening anytime soon as legal cases take time.

A surprise defence came from Aam Aadmi Party president and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who alleged a conspiracy to finish the Opposition. Whether there is a conspiracy or Opposition has to blame itself for what would be its undoing. Maybe, action by ED against Opposition CMs and leaders can be described as conspiracy but not their resolve to remain fragmented.

Although Rajasthan has other schemes like the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance and Nishulk Nirogi Rajasthan for healthcare, the new Bill is more sweeping in reforms. It entitles people to free consultation, drugs, diagnostics, emergency transport, procedure and emergency care. There will be a few conditions for emergency care. The Bill makes its violation a punishable offence.

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.

TOP TWEETS

Best wishes to Minister Smt. @ smritiirani Ji on her birthday. She is providing admirable leadership to our Government’s efforts to further the welfare of our Nari Shakti. She is admired for her oratory and connect with people from all walks of life. Praying for her long life.

Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda

I bow down to freedom fighter, strong thinker and politician Dr Ram Manohar Lohia ji on his birth anniversary. Your thoughts and work dedicated to the upliftment of the nation and society will always inspire the countrymen.

SIDDHAARTH MAHAN

The writer is a specialist on Sports and Cinema who works as an actor in the Hindi film industry

Opposition stages protest march for JPC probe over Adani issue

New Delhi (PTI): Several Opposition parties on Thursday staged a protest march inside Parliament complex in support of their demand for a joint parliament committee investigation into the Adani group issue and said they would continue to raise their voice in this regard.

Leaders of various Opposition parties gathered at the Parliament house gate number 1, the main entry gate into Parliament House building, and raised slogans against the govt and called for a JPC probe.

Holding placards, Opposition MPs raised slogans and demanded that a JPC probe be initiated into the Adani issue.

Joined by top party leaders of various parties and led by Congress chief Mallikarjun

Kharge, the opposition MPs then staged a protest march from Parliament gate to Ambedkar statue inside Parliament complex, where they again raised slogans and asked why the government was running away from ordering a JPC probe into

Modi govt securing knowledge in India’s ancient books: Shah

New Delhi (PTI): Union Home Minister

Amit Shah Thursday said the Narendra Modi govt is securing the knowledge in India’s ancient books and manuscripts for the future through technology.

Shah said this after launching a Veidic heritage portal and a virtual museum — ‘Kala Vaibhav’ — built by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

“The Modi government is securing the knowledge of India’s ancient books and manuscripts for the future through technology. In this direction, the Vedic Heritage Portal built by @ignca_delhi was inaugurated today.

“With this, the younger generation will be able to carry forward the knowledge and tradition of Vedas and Upanishads,” he tweeted.

Shah said through the virtual museum, based on 64 arts, the world will be more familiar with India’s architecture, painting, drama and music and

LS PASSES `45L CR BUDGET 2023-24 WITHOUT DEBATE

L ok Sabha on Thursday approved the Union Budget envisaging an expenditure of around Rs 45 lakh crore for the next fiscal without any discussion, as Opposition continued to create ruckus over demand for JPC probe in the Adani issue. The LS took up the Demands for Grants and Appropriation Bills after two adjournments as the ruling and Opposition MPs engaged in a duet over demands for an apology by Rahul Gandhi and the Adani issue.

the Adani issue.

Kharge thanked the leaders of various parties for extending support to the protest march and said they would continue with their protest till their demand was met.

Both Houses of Parliament have failed to transact any significant business for the last two weeks since it met for the second leg of the budget session on

March 13.

While the opposition is raising the pitch over the demand for a JPC into the Adani issue, the BJP has raised the heat on Rahul Gandhi over his ‘democracy under threat’ remarks made in London recently and have demanded his apology, alleging he has defamed and insulted India and its institutions and has sought foreign intervention.

RS FACES 15th ADJOURNMENT FOR 8th DAY IN A ROW

New Delhi (ANI): The logjam continued in the Upper House for the eighth day in a row resulting in adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for the day on Thursday amid ruckus created by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition parties. The House of Elders faced adjournment for the day within a minute after it assembled at 2 pm following the first adjournment announced earlier in the day.

Rijiju assures apt action on SC ruling on appointing ECI chiefs

New Delhi (PTI): The govt is examining Supreme Court’s verdict on appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners and it will take “appropriate action” on it, Rajya Sabha was told on Thursday.

In written reply, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Supreme Court in its judgment of March 2 held that until Parliament makes a law in consonance with Article 342(2) of the Constitution, the appointment of the CEC and

The government is examining the Supreme Court’s verdict on the appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners and it will take “appropriate action” on it.

RAHUL GANDHI’S CONVICTION

After being held guilty, RaGa quotes Mahatma

the world will know the rich history of India’s glorious culture. Union Minister of Tourism and Culture

G Kishan Reddy attended the event, among others.

election commissioners will be made on the recommendations made by a three-member committee comprising the PM, chief justice of In-

dia and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and in case no LoP is available then the leader of the single largest Opposition party in LS.

Rabri Devi takes swipe on BJP over its new Bihar chief Gupta challenges suspension from Delhi Assembly

Patna (ANI): Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and RJD leader on Thursday scoffed at the BJP’s decision to appoint Samrat Chowdhary as the party’s new state chief saying it seems that the saffron party has drifted from its core vote bank, the Baniyas (traders).

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rabri said, “It seems the BJP has turned away from

its core vote bank, the Baniyas, and that is why they have gone with a Mahto (lower caste in Bihar) as their new state president.”

GNA’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

New Delhi (PTI): BJP leader Vijender Gupta moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday challenging his oneyear suspension from the Delhi assembly by the Speaker. His plea was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta. The bench agreed to list the petition for hearing on Friday.

Ahmedabad (PTI):

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet about truth and nonviolence after a court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced him to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case connected to his “Modi surname” remarks.

“My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it. — Mahatma Gandhi,” the Congress leader said in a tweet in Hindi soon after the court verdict.

The court of Chief

Congress faced severe defeats in the recent elections in the northeast. Just because people don’t vote for you, it doesn’t mean that you have the right to blame them, it doesn’t mean that you have got license to defame India and her democratic values on the foreign soil

Judicial Magistrate

HH Varma sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname” remark during an election rally in Karnataka in ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha election. The court granted him bail and suspend-

“I AM MODI TOO, FELT INSULTED”: BJP

MP WELCOMES RAHUL’S CONVICTION

New Delhi: BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi welcomed a Surat court’s decision to convict Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about PM Narendra Modi’s surname. “I welcome the decision of the court. I am also a Modi. I felt insulted by Rahul Gandhi’s remarks,” Sushil Modi said. He said he too has filed a defamation case against Rahul in Patna.

WILL CHALLENGE VERDICT: CONG “BJP SPOKE AGAINST GANDHIS MANY TIMES”

New Delhi: The Congress dubbed conviction of Rahul Gandhi by a Surat court in a defamation case as an “infirm, erroneous and unsustainable judgement” that will be immediately challenged in a higher court and expressed hope that it will be stayed and quashed soon.

ARVIND KEJRIWAL TWEETS SUPPORT FOR RAHUL GANDHI

New Delhi: Hours after Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal put out a tweet in the Congress leader’s support. The AAP chief alleged a ‘conspiracy to eliminate’ non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them.

Rahul ‘mismanaged’ Himanta episode: Azad’s book

New Delhi (PTI): “Let him go” was Rahul Gandhi’s blunt reply when told that Himanta Biswa Sarma, once the Congress’ key leader in Assam, had the support of a majority of MLAs and would rebel and quit the party, Ghulam Nabi Azad writes in his autobiography “Azaad”.

Azad, a former Congress loyalist who quit the party in August 2022 and launched his own regional party, also targets Sonia Gandhi and

says she did not assert herself as party president “despite understanding the disastrous consequences that lay ahead”.

Sarma, who went on to join the BJP and is the chief minister of Assam, was an important Congress strategist. Ten MLAs followed him when he quit the party in September 2015 over differences with the Congress leadership in Assam.

“Rahul told us blunt-

ly that there would be no change in leadership. We pointed out to him (Rahul) that Him-

anta had the majority of MLAs and would rebel and quit the party. ‘Let him go,’ Rahul said.

The meeting was over,” Azad, 74, says in his autobiography that will release next month.

Azad, who is chairperson of the newly formed Democratic Progressive Azad Party, says Rahul Gandhi “mismanaged” the Sarma episode.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, 54, was appointed chief minister in 2021, just five years after leaving the Congress, after he ensured a second consecutive win for

the BJP in Assam.

According to Azad, he was not sure if Rahul said what he did “to assert himself or because he was ignorant that his decision would have far-reaching consequences, not only in the state of Assam but the entire Northeast”.

The former leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha says he apprised Sonia Gandhi of the new “twist in the tale” after the interaction with Rahul Gandhi.

Raipur: Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case regarding his “Modi surname” remark, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday spoke of the barbs such as “Mir Jafar” used by BJP leaders for Gandhi.

ed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said. The court sentenced Gandhi under sections 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal defamation, Mangukiya said.

RaGa WON’T BE DISQUALIFIED IF CONVICTION STAYED: EXPERTS

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi will not be disqualified as an MP if the appellate court stays the conviction and suspends the two- year jail term awarded to him by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his alleged “Modi surname” remarks, legal experts said on Thursday. The MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at in Karnataka on April 13, 2019 during LS poll campaigning.

IYC STAGES SYMBOLIC PROTEST IN SHOW OF SOLIDARITY FOR RAHUL

New Delhi (PTI): The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Thursday held a symbolic protest near Shastri Bhawan in central Delhi against the verdict of a Surat court sentencing Rahul Gandhi to two years of jail in a defamation case. The demonstration is in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, said general secretary in-charge Delhi Coco Padhi. The protesters were carrying placards and raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of police personnel.

STF to be formed to curb drug mafia: HP CM Sukhu

Shimla (ANI):

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that necessary amendments in the law would be carried out to take stringent action against the drug peddlers with a provision to confiscate the property of the culprits.

In a meeting with senior law and police officials, the CM said that a Special Task Force would be formed to break the supply chain and take stern action against the drug mafia.

“An advisory Board un-

der the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act would also be constituted to check the menace,” a press release said.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Opposition MPs stage a protest demanding JPC probe into the Adani Group issue, in New Delhi, on Thursday. —PHOTO BY PTI

Cong leader Rahul Gandhi arrives at IGI Airport in New Delhi on Thursday. —PHOTO BY PTI Ghulam Nabi Azad

—BJP to Rahul Gandhi

HM IN K’TAKA

Himachal CM Sukhu speaks in Assembly, in Shimla on Thursday.

—Kiren Rijiju, Union Law Min

Rabri Devi

Amit Shah

CRACKDOWN AGAINST AMRITPAL

MAN PART OF AMRITPAL’S OWN SECURITY SETUP ARRESTED: COPS

Chandigarh (PTI):

Punjab Police have arrested a man who was part of private security setup of radical preacher Amritpal Singh.

Tejinder Singh Gill, a resident of Mangewal village in Khanna area of Ludhiana district, was deputed in the security of Amritpal, who is on the run since a police crackdown on his outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ began on Saturday, said Khanna Deputy Superintendent of Police (Payal) Harsimrat Singh.

Gill used to display weapons in pictures and videos on social media without having arms licence. An FIR against him has been registered for disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, he said.

Officials said their investigation has revealed that Gill was also involved in the Ajnala incident and Ajnala police will separately take action against him.

A number of Amritpal’s armed supporters had stormed Ajnala police last month to secure the release of an associate of Amritpal, raising fears about return of pro-Khalistan militancy to the state bordering Pakistan.

Fresh countrywide mock drills soon to test Covid preparedness

207 DETAINED SO FAR, NO INNOCENT WILL BE HARASSED, SAY PUNJAB POLICE

Amritsar on Thursday.

SECURITY BEEFED UP AT ASSAM JAIL WHERE AIDES OF AMRITPAL ARE LODGED

Dibrugarh (ANI): Multi-layered security has been made in Dibrugarh Central Jail where members of pro-Khalistan group ‘Waris Punjab De’ — Amritpal-led outfit —are lodged. A team of elite Black Panther Assam Police commandos has been assigned the task of securing the outer perimeter of the jail, while Central Reserve Police Force, Assam Police personnel and jail guards have taken up the responsibility of internal security. Apart from this, to enhance the security, CCTV cameras have been installed at the entire outer boundary of Dibrugarh Jail, as told by Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh district Biswajit Pegu. Earlier, a 27-member team of Punjab Police, had reached the Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh by a special Air Force aircraft on Sunday and brought down four of four members of Waris Punjab De. Later, on Tuesday three more associates Harjeet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal and Gurinder Pal Singh were flown to Dibrugarh on Tuesday.

CRUCIAL READ

EXPLOSIVES SEIZED FROM TRAIN AT SIWAN RLY STATION

Siwan: The Govt Railway Police in Bihar recovered suspected explosives from multiple bags in a passenger coach of the Gwalior-Barauni Express train at Siwan Junction railway station. GRP Police were conducting regular checks on the Gwalior-Barauni Express train’s passenger coach when they found suspected explosives in bags. “GRP Police immediately informed the office of the Additional Director General (ADG) railways.

EX-HARYANA DSP ARRESTED BY ACB IN GRAFT CASE

Chandigarh: As part of its drive against corruption, ACB has arrested Phool Singh, a former Haryana Police officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in a criminal case registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, on Thursday. The spokesperson of the Bureau informed that Phool Singh has served in the State Vigilance Bureau, now renamed as Anti Corruption Bureau.

SPEEDING MERCEDES RAMS INTO BUS NEAR ZERO POINT IN GREATER NOIDA, 6 INJURED

Greater Noida: A Mercedes driver lost control of his speeding car while he was trying to overtake a roadways bus and rammed into the vehicle near Zero Point in Greater Noida on Thursday. Six persons, including the bus and car drivers, suffered injuries. The accident was so severe that the car got stuck under the bus and both the vehicles hung down the underpass after the collision, said officials. The injured were admitted to a hospital by the police. Additional DCP Rajeev Dixit said that the car driver has been identified as Raghav Gupta, a resident of Jaypee Greens.

POLICE BUST GANG INVOLVED IN STEALING DATA

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police on Thursday claimed to have busted a gang that was allegedly involved in stealing and selling confidential personal data of 16.8 crore citizens in the country, and sensitive data of government and important organisations. The police arrested seven persons operating from Noida and Pune involved in theft, procuring and selling sensitive and confidential data.

MBA

PASS-OUT WOMAN HELD IN HARYANA FOR SHELTERING AMRITPAL

Haryana Police have arrested a 28-year-old MBA degree holder unemployed woman and handed her over to Punjab Police for sheltering fugitive radical Amritpal and his accomplice Pappal Preet at her house in Shahabad town in Kurukshetra district. The accused, Baljeet Kaur, lives with her brother and father. Her brother works at the SDM office, while her father runs a milk business.

Kurukshetra Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria told the media that Baljeet, who is unemployed, was in touch with Pappal Preet. “It is being suspected that Pappal Preet and Amritpal stayed at their house on Sunday night. After some questioning, Punjab Police were intimated and the woman was handed over to them for further investigation.”

Amritpal, against whom the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked and a non-bailable warrant issued, has been on the run despite the massive manhunt launched to nab him since March 18.

Addressing the media on the Amritpal case, Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Gill said, “Peaceful condition completely prevails in the state. No innocent person would be harassed by the police. The Chief Minister has given clear instructions.” The top cop said that so far, 207 persons have been detained by the police in connection with the manhunt of Amritpal Singh. “30 were booked under criminal cases. 177 persons have been detained as preventive measures,” IGP Gill said. IGP Gill said that a woman, Bajlit Kau, has been taken into custody from Kurukshetra for sheltering Amritpal Singh and his aide Pappal Preet.

TARN TARAN AND FEROZEPUR DISTS SANS INTERNET ON MOBILES TILL TODAY

The mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts of Punjab will remain suspended till Friday noon. As per an order issued by the Punjab government on Thursday, the curbs on mobile internet services have been extended in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts “in the interest of public safety, to prevent any incitement to violence and to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order”.

& MP

Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has issued notices to 300 odd school teachers asking them to show cause why they were absent on March 10, the day of a strike demanding increased dearness allowance (DA), disobeying the state govt’s instruction to remain present.

The show cause notices were issued to the teachers of various schools across the state.

WBBSE President Ramanuj Ganguly said, “We went by the reports of the District Inspector of schools and heads of respective educational institutions about the presence of teaching staff on March 10 and implemented the directive of the state secretariat.”

MAN ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF KILLING TEENAGER

Guwahati: A 32-year-old man was arrested for killing a teenager after an altercation over playing game on his mobile in Assam’s Cachar district, police said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on Monday when accused Dipak Nath asked victim to stop playing games as exams were nearing. However, Manmohan Nath, the deceased’s father, claimed: “My son went to Dipak’s house, and after a verbal altercation, he took my child to a field, beat him.”

New Delhi (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at seven locations in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in its ongoing probe in the Gazwa-e-Hind case that is linked to the radicalisation of impressionable youth over various social media platforms for carrying out violent terrorist acts.

The places searched comprise three each in Maharashtra’s Nagpur and Gujarat, and one place in MP’s Gwalior.

The places searched included the residential premises and hideouts of suspects in the antinational activities and radicalization of impressionable youth through social media.

The NIA initially registered the Gazwa-eHind case on July 22 last

Dhanbad: At least four people died and many more were injured after a coal mine caved in during illegal mining in the Tetulmari police station area of Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on Thursday.

The injured have been admitted to a local hospital. The incident took place in BS Mining Outsourcing company’s excavation project in West Modidih colliery at around 6 am.

According to sources, more than a dozen people had entered the tunnel to extract coal, during which the roof of the mine collapsed. Eyewitnesses said that four persons died on the spot and their bodies were recovered by villagers.

During the Jharkhand Assembly proceedings on Thursday, BJP legislator Dhullu Mahto claimed that around 10 people had died in the accident.

He stated that large scale illegal mining was taking place in the district and asked when the administration would stop such acts.

New Delhi (ANI): Amid spike in influenza cases in country and the uptick in Covid-19 cases over the past couple of weeks, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday said a mock drill will be done soon in all the states and Union Territories to assess their preparedness to meet the twin threats to public health.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Bhushan said, “India on Thursday recorded 1,300 new Covid cases, the highest in the last 140 days. We will get a fresh round of mock drills done in all states and UTs in order to assess their individual Covid preparedness.”

Earlier, on December 27, a mock drill was conducted at hospitals across the country to test their Covid prepared-

ness. The Union Health secretary informed further that India, for now, was accounting for just 1 per cent of the global Covid cases.

“Only about 1 per cent of the global Covid cases are being reported in India as of now. The overall active cases currently stand at 7,600 while 966 cases, on average, are being reported on a daily basis. In the second week of February, we recorded only about 108 daily cases on average. But the average daily count has since gone up to 966,” Bhushan said.

Reports said the eight states where the maximum number of Covid cases are being reported currently are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

year at Phulwarisharif Police Station in Bihar.

In Phulwarisharif probe, the NIA said, it is revealed that accused Margub Ahmad Danish, a self-radicalized individual, was in contact with a number of foreign entities on WhatsApp group “Ghazwa-eHind” created by him.

“In this group, terrorist acts and activities in Kashmir were being glorified to radicalise impressionable youth. He had also created another WhatsApp group in the name of Ghazwa-e-Hind BD and was propagating conquest of India through violence,” the NIA had said earlier.

East

Central Rlys

collects fines of `54 lakh in 16 hrs

New Delhi: During a 16hour mega ticket checking campaign, the East Central Railways collected Rs 54 lakh in fines from passengers travelling without tickets in Samastipur Division.

The Railways had deployed 152 ticket checking staff in different teams on March 21 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The fines were collected from 7,289 passengers at different stations in Bihar such as Samastipur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Raxaul, Narkatiaganj, Bapudham Motihari, Jaynagar and Sitamarhi among others.

In a similar campaign in past, three staff members of Chennai Division of Railways set a record by collecting large fines. oslin Arokia Mary had collected fines amounting to Rs 1.03 crore, Deputy Chief Ticket Inspector S. Nand Kumar collected Rs 1.55 crore as fines.

MARTYRDOM DAY

WESTERN CENTRAL RLY STAFFER ARRESTED BY CBI IN BRIBE CASE

New Delhi: The CBI has arrested a senior divisional mechanical engineer of Western Central Railway in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni for accepting a bribe of `40,000, a senior official said on Thursday. A case was registered against the accused SK Singh, senior divisional mechanical

40,000 from the complainant. The official said that searches were conducted on the premises of the accused.

PM, other top leaders pay tribute to martyrs trio

Three freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death by Britishers on March 23, 1931

New Delhi (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru on Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas) on Thursday and said that these are greats who made an unparalleled contribution to our freedom struggle.

The three freedom fighters were hanged to death by Britishers on March 23, 1931, in the Lahore conspiracy case.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, “India will always remember the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. These are greats who made an unparalleled contribution to

our freedom struggle.”

Prasad Maurya were among the leaders who paid their respects.

Gadkari tweeted, “Millions of salutes to the revolutionaries Bhagat Singh ji, Rajguru ji and Sukhdev ji on their sacrifice day, who sacrificed their everything for the motherland.”

Meanwhile, Birla tweeted, “Emotional tribute to the martyrdom day of Amar Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev ji, the symbol of brav-

ery of Indian youth. The great work done by him to achieve the goal of freedom of Mother India is an inspiration for the youth of the country. The country will always be grateful for those sacrifices.”

The official Twitter handle of ‘Amit Mahotsav’ — the initiative to mark 75 years of independence — also shared a video on the ‘shaheed special series’ showcasing the inspiring stories of the freedom fighters.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Lok Sabha

Speaker Om Birla, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav

A Home Guard jawan cleans a mural of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on Martyrs’ Day, in Gurugram.

The drive against ticketless commuters was held on March 21.

The mock drill will be done soon in all states and UTs.

Dhanbad: 4 killed, several injured as coal mine caves in Gazwa-e-Hind case: NIA raids 7 locations in Maha, Gujarat

Amritpal’s 7 associates brought to Baba Bakala Court amid heavy police presence, in

MSI TO HIKE PRICES OF ITS MODEL RANGE FROM APRIL

MOODY’s REPORT

Greater risk of rupee weakness in India

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki

India on Thursday said it will increase prices of its model range in April to partially offset the impact of “overall inflation and regulatory requirements”.

It however, did not share the quantum of the price hike. The company continues to witness increased cost pressure driven by overall inflation and regulatory requirements. The company has planned this price increase in April, 2023, which shall vary across models, Maruti Suzuki India stated. —PTI

HONDA INDIA TO HIKE

AMAZE PRICES BY UP

TO `12K FROM APRIL

India has 127 patents for 6G now: Telecom Min Vaishnaw

New Delhi (PTI): India now has over 127 global patents for 6G technology, Union Minister for Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said. He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark that India has the power of trust and scale, which is leading to the demand for indigenous telecom gears overseas. Vaishnaw said the Prime Minister has given his ministry a target to stand with the world in 5G and take lead in 6G.

“Basis this target is given, the country has worked

MAJOR HIGHLIGHT

z As per the vision document released by the Department of Telecom, 6G will offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second -- which is 1,000 times more than the top speed of 5G

New Delhi: Honda Cars India plans to raise prices of its entry level compact sedan Amaze by up to `12,000 in order to offset the impact of increase in production cost owing to upcoming stricter emission norms from next month. “We will increase Amaze prices by up to `12,000 with effect from April 1 to factor in the rise in the production cost due to the upcoming stringent emission norms,” Honda Cars India VP Marketing & Sales Kunal Behl said. —PTI

SL IMPORTS 2 MN

EGGS FROM INDIA TO MEET SHORTAGE

New Delhi (ANI): The risk of weakness in currencies in the emerging economies in Asia is worrisome, and more so the risk is greater in India with a new bout of rupee weakness, which could force the Reserve Bank of India to “press harder on the brakes”, according to Moody's Analytics.

The rupee weakness, according to Moody's, may slow in what it earlier expected India to be one of emerging Asia’s best-performing economies. The Indian rupee had been volatile for almost a year now and hit several fresh alltime lows as the US dollar strengthened against major global currencies. In October 2022, the rupee breached the 83 mark for the first time in its history.

The rupee is currently

Untimely rain to damage some crops

Colombo: Sri Lanka has imported two million eggs from India to ensure food security in the crisis-hit island nation, Trade Minister Nalin Fernando said on Thursday. Fernando said that the shipment imported by the State Trading General Corporation had arrived and the stocks would be released in the market within three days. The decision to import eggs was based on a decision by a cabinet committee to ensure food security. The trade ministry said the Indian-origin eggs would be allowed to be used only in the bakery industry after necessary quality checks. —PTI

GOLD PRICE CLIMBS

`450/10 GM; SILVER

ZOOMS `815 PER KG

TOP TALKING POINTS

z The Indian rupee had been volatile for almost a year now and hit several fresh all-time lows. In October 2022, the rupee breached the 83 mark for the first time. Currently it is hovering above 82

hovering above 82 per US dollar.

Depleting forex reserves faced with the high cost of imported goods, and the ongoing monetary policy tightening by the US Federal Reserve triggered the currency’s depreciation. Investors tend to move towards stable markets, such as the US, for better and stable returns amid any tight monetary policy.

“The risk of currency weakness in emerging Asia

z The rupee weakness may slow in what it earlier expected India to be one of emerging Asia’s best-performing economies

z The risk of weakness in currencies could force the Reserve Bank of India to “press harder on the brakes”

is especially worrisome given its status as the cradle of the EM (emerging market) recovery. Our outlook calls for economies in emerging Asia to handily outperform the rest of the EM cohort as China’s rebound gains momentum and as pent-up demand, still on hold from the Delta wave in India and Southeast Asia, props up consumer spending,” Moody's said in a report released on Thursday.

-- the academia, the innovators, entrepreneurs -- all have worked together. I must also share with you that by now 127 patents for 6G technology have been obtained by Indians,” Vaishnaw told reporters.

The vision document re-

IN JAN-MARCH 2023

‘More than 2.78 lakh EVs registered in India’

New Delhi (PTI): Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said more than 2.78 lakh electric vehicles have been registered in the country in 2023 calendar year so far.

Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are in the process of migrating to Vahan portal and hence their data on EV registration is partially included.

According to the data on the portal, the registration of electric vehicles (EVs) in India rose to 10,20,679 in 2022 from 3,29,808 in 2021.

Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said National Highways Authority

of India (NHAI) has planted 344.27 lakh tress under Green Highways Policy during the period 2016-17 to 2022-23 (up to February 2023). Responding to another question, he said NHAI envisions development of wayside amenities (WSAs) at every 30-40 kilometre across brownfield national highways and greenfield expressways.

leased by the Department of Telecom states that while 5G technology promises a speed of 40-1,100 Mbps, 6G will offer ultralow latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second -which is 1,000 times more than the top speed of 5G.

FM to meet CEOs of PSU Banks tomorrow

New Delhi (PTI): Finance minister Niramala Sitharaman is scheduled to meet managing directors of public sector banks (PSBs) on March 25 for performance review in the backdrop of failure of few banks in the US and liquidity crisis faced by Credit Suisse.

The meeting is going to take stock of the progress made by banks in achieving targets set for the various government schemes, including Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Stand-Up India, PMMY, and ECLGS to help businesses affected by Covid-19, according to sources.

This is the first full review meeting after the presentation of Budget 2023-24.

New Delhi: Gold price climbed by `450 to `59,350 per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday amid strong global trends, according to HDFC Securities. In the previous trade, the precious metal had settled at `58,900 per 10 grams. Silver also zoomed `815 to `69,800 per kilogram. In the overseas markets, both gold and silver were trading higher at $1,975 per ounce and $22.84 per ounce, respectively.

Mumbai (PTI): Untimely rains during March have caused damage to rabi crops and may result in lower yields, a report said.

Between March 1 and 21, cumulative rains have been 20% more than normal, and in the past four days, it was 3-4 times more than usual, according to a report by Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics.

On March 21, the rain volume in central India was 1,600% more than normal, the report said, adding that unfortunately, this ongoing harvest window for rabi crops has been lashed by an untimely torrent.

Sensex

snaps two-day rally, falls 290 points to close below 58,000

Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmark Sensex declined 290 points in a volatile session to settle below the 58,000 mark on Thursday due to a sell-off in banking, financial and IT stocks amid a weak trend in European equities.

Besides, heavy selling pressure in index heavyweight Reliance Industries added to the pressure, traders said.

After rallying for the two straight days, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 289.31 points or 0.50% to settle at 57,925.28. During the day, it declined 375.74 points or 0.64% to 57,838.85.

The broader NSE Nifty

FROM INDIA, IN FEBRUARY

dipped 75 points or 0.44% to end at 17,076.90.

State Bank of India was

OTHER STORIES

NSE, BSE TO PUT ADANI POWER UNDER SHORT TERM ASM AGAIN

FORMER RUSSIAN UNIT COMMITS 4 LNG CARGOES TO INDIA

the biggest loser in the Sensex pack, shedding 1.69%, followed by Asian Paints, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HCL Technologies, Reliance Industries, Wipro, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, Power Grid and HDFC twins. In contrast, Nestle, Maruti, Bharti Airtel, Tata Motors, ITC and Hindustan Unilever were among the gainers.

RUPEE GAINS 32 PAISE TO CLOSE AT 82.27 AGAINST US DOLLAR

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee gained 32 paise to close at 82.27 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, tracking the weakness of the American currency in the overseas market. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened strong at 82.38 against the dollar and gained further ground and finally settled at 82.27 (provisional) against the American currency, registering a gain of 32 paise against its previous close.

Mobile phone exports touch $9.5 billlion

New Delhi (PTI): Mobile phone exports from India increased to nearly $9.5 billion in February, with Apple contributing half of the total exports, mobile devices industry body ICEA said.

An official at the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) said on Thursday the industry is on track to cross the target of mobile phone exports worth $10 billion from the country by the end of this fiscal.

At the end of January, the exports were around $8.5 billion and it is esti-

mated to have reached about $9.5 billion in February, the official said.

In 2021-22, India record-

DATA IN NUMBERS

z The industry is on track to cross the target of mobile phone exports worth $10 billion from the country by the end of this fiscal

z At the end of January, the exports were around $8.5 billion

z In 2021-22, India recorded exports worth $5.5 billion

New Delhi: Leading bourses NSE and BSE on Wednesday said they will include Adani Power under the short-term additional surveillance measure (ASM) framework from Thursday.

Adani Power is shortlisted in short-term ASM framework Stage-I effective March 23. The move also comes close on the heels of the two exchanges moving Adani group stocks from the second stage of the long-term ASM framework to Stage I on Monday. —PTI

New Delhi: A former unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom will supply 4 shiploads of LNG to stateowned GAIL (India) Ltd for the first time since it halted supplies in May last year, Union minister Rameswar Teli said on Thursday. Sefe Marketing and Trading Singapore Pte Ltd (SMTS), erstwhile Gazprom Marketing and Trading Singapore Pte Ltd, will “supply two cargoes in March 2023 and two in April 2023,” he said. —PTI

RELIANCE CONSUMER EXPANDS PORTFOLIO IN HOME, PERSONAL CARE SEGMENTS

New Delhi: Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, on Wednesday said it has expanded its play in the FMCG segment by launching its range of home and personal care products. RCPL, which has ambitions to be a relevant player in the FMCG segment, will now compete with the leading players of the segments, such as HUL, P&G, Reckitt etc, with the enhanced portfolio. —PTI

FITCH AFFIRMS ‘BBB-’ RATING ON APSEZ WITH STABLE OUTLOOK

AIR INDIA LOOKING TO ENHANCE COLLABS WITH AIRPORTS

ed mobile phone exports worth $5.5 billion as per ICEA. “Apple now dominates

the exports with 50% share followed by Samsung with around 40% share,” the official said.

New Delhi: Fitch Ratings on Thursday affirmed its ‘BBB-’ rating on Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited with a stable outlook, saying the Hindenburg report has a limited near-term impact on APSEZ’s cost of funding. “Fitch Ratings has affirmed India-based port operator Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited’s (APSEZ) Long-Term ForeignCurrency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘BBB-’. The Outlook is Stable,” it said. —PTI

New Delhi: Air India is looking to enhance collaborations with airports in India and overseas as the Tata Group-owned carrier works on upgrading its systems

The airline has put in place a roadmap under Vihaan.AI for transformation over a five-year period. Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer & Global Operations - Airport Operations said Air India was not using the best technologies available for aviation in the market. —PTI

— Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India

Cong protests, warns of ‘jail bharo andalon’

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress leaders on Thursday staged a protest outside the party’s Mumbai unit office to protest the conviction of Rahul Gandhi by a Gujarat court in a defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, party’s Mumbai unit chief Bhai Jagtap, former chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, other leaders and party workers staged the protest.

A court at Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in the 2019 criminal defamation case filed

against him over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remark. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500 (dealing with defamation), also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

During the protest in Mumbai, Patole said the party will resort to the ‘jail-bharo’ movement in the state. He said the politics of revenge doesn’t last long.

“The way Rahul Gandhi has been convicted and sentenced to two years in jail and falsely implicated. This has hap-

RAHUL GANDHI CONVICTION DEFAMATION CASE

pened due to pressure from the Centre. It is an attempt to malign his image. The Congress will resort to ‘jail bharo andolan’,” he said.

The leaders said Gandhi was selectively targeted to divert the attention of people from the core issues. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged remark - ‘How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?’. A complaint in this connection was lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. Gandhi had made the remark while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019 during Lok Sabha elections campaigning.

Law will catch up with motormouths sooner than later, NCP tells BJP

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday said while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders slam Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his conviction, the same rule applies to BJP leaders because the law will catch up with “motormouths” sooner than later.

“BJP leaders are saying that Rahul Gandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction by the Surat Court and choose his words before speaking.” “The same applies to motormouths of the BJP because our Judiciary is Supreme, and it will catch up with them too, sooner rather than later,” Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Clyde Crasto tweeted.

In a swipe at Gandhi for his comments after the conviction that he believes in truth and non-violence, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked if this means insulting people by targeting them for their surname.

“Does Congress want Rahul Gandhi to have complete freedom to abuse people? There is

Oppn slams BJP-Sena MLAs for hitting poster with slippers

Mumbai: Maha Vikas

Aghadi legislators on Thursday slammed ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena members for hitting a poster of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with slippers on the stairs of the Maharashtra Legislature complex over his alleged remarks about Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar too expressed displeasure at this act, and promised an inquiry.

rule of law in the country and it will prevail,” he said, alleging the former Congress president has a history of making defamatory comments and unfounded allegations. Soon after convicting him, the court also granted Gandhi bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer said.

Clyde Crasto @Clyde_ Crasto BJP leaders are saying that #RahulGandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction by #SuratCourt and choose his words before speaking. The same applies to motor-mouths of the #BJP because our Judiciary is Supreme, and it will catch up with them too, sooner rather than later.

Shiv Sena says Gandhi should be booked for insulting national icons

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Maharashtra

Chief Minister Eknath

Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Thursday welcomed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi for his remarks over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname and said he should also be booked

for “insulting” national icons like VD Savarkar and “defaming” the country abroad. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said Gandhi is used to making personal comments.

“He should also be booked for insulting national icons like Veer Savarkar and defaming

the country abroad,” Mhatre said.

The court also granted Gandhi bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer said. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves

Dy CM, Uddhav display rare bonhomie at Vidhan Bhavan

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Thackery group leader Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday arrived at Vidhan Bhavan talking to each other and greeting assembled mediapersons together.

The

Thackeray, a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) had arrived to take part in a meeting of the Marathi Language department.

Fadnavis and Thackeray have had a hostile relationship since Shiv

Sena terminated its partnership with Bharatiya Janata Party following 2019 Assembly elections due to a disagreement over duration of the chief minister’s term.

After the fall out, Thackeray formed a government in the state

with the support of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. The animosity between the two leaders increased after a rebellion by Eknath Shinde brought down Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government in June last year.

have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

BJP,

Mumbai: Members of the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena accused Rahul Gandhi of making derogatory remarks against VD Savarkar. Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik raised the issue saying Gandhi has repeatedly “insulted” Savarkar, while his party colleague Sanjay Shirsat sought the permission of the chair to move a resolution against the Congress MP. “Who has given him the right to insult freedom fighters? We want your permission to move a resolution against Rahul Gandhi,” Shirsat said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ashish Shelar demanded an apology from Gandhi.

The issue was raised in the Assembly by Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat, who was supported by Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar. Both condemned the action of the ruling alliance members as unparliamentary, with Thorat seeking action against those involved.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis agreed that committing such acts on the Vidhan Bhavan premises was wrong, but also slammed Gandhi for his “low-level tendencies”. Savarkar had spent 11 years in jail in the Andamans and Gandhi’s attack on the former needed to be condemned, Fadnavis said.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who raised issue of Gandhi’s remarks when the House resumed, said a “person out on bail in a criminal case is insulting a freedom fighter”.

NOW, ‘BOOKIE’ ANIL JAISINGHANI MOVES BOMBAY HC SEEKING QUASHING OF FIR

Mumbai (PTI): Suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani, an accused in the case related to alleged attempt to blackmail and bribe Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the FIR against him, and termed his arrest in the case as “illegal”. Jaisinghani claimed

that the first information report (FIR) was “ill-conceived”, “politically motivated” and not according to the letter of the law.

Aniksha, the daughter of Anil Jaisinghani, was arrested on March 16 for allegedly attempting to offer Rs1 crore to

Amruta Fadnavis for intervening in a criminal case and also threatening her. Anil Jaisinghani and his relative Nirmal Jaisinghani, also an accused in the case, were arrested on March 20 from Gujarat.

“The offence is entirely misconceived,

and the petitioners (Anil and co-accused Nirmal Jaisinghani) have been pulled into the matter unnecessarily,” the petition filed through advocate Manan Sanghai said.

In the petition, Anil Jaisinghani said his arrest was illegal as he

was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest as per the provisions of law. Delay in producing the accused before the magistrate and noncompliance of the mandatory provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by police officials, has caused grave prejudice to accused, it said.

In present case, both petitioners were produced before the magistrate after 36 hours of their arrest which is a violation of CrPC provisions and their fundamental rights, it added. Accused pleaded high court to quash the FIR against them and declare the remand order passed by sessions court and his arrest as illegal.

'RaGa has been convicted and sentenced to two years in jail and falsely implicated; happened due to pressure from the Centre'

SHIV SENA TARGET RAGA OVER SAVARKAR REMARKS

Maha Cong president Nana Patole, party’s Mumbai unit chief Bhai Jagtap, former chief minister’s Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, other leaders and party workers staged the protest with party members. — MAHARASTHRA CONGRESS TWITTER

Dy CM Fadnavis & Uddhav Thackeray share a lighter moment at Vidhan Bhavan on Thursday. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches Surat District Court on Thursday.

animosity between the two leaders increased after rebellion

Says his arrest 'illegal'; terms FIR ‘ill-conceived’, ‘politically motivated’ and not according to the letter of the law

AMRUTA FADNAVIS BRIBE CASE

Anil Jaisinghani on way to court with authorities. —FILE PHOTO

BJP-Shiv Sena members during the protest.

QUINTESSENTIAL

The outstanding Fashion Connect presented by First India and Bharat24- Vision of New India was held at Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai on March 19. City First highlights some glimpses of highly acclaimed designer Ishita Gupta’s collection showcased at the grand show!

Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, the crowned jewel of Dubai, hosted one of India’s premier single-day fashion events called Fashion Connect, season 14, Presented by First India News and Bharat24-Vision of New India on Sunday, March 19. Jagdeesh Chandra

graced the evening and appreciated the designer, Ishita Gupta for her mystical collection. His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum was present as the Chief Guest and Yakoob Al Ali, Executive Director and Private Advisor in His Highness Office attended the show as the special guest. Designer Ishita Gupta took everyone on a ride to the mystical world of Botanic ‘its ISH’. While describing her gorgeous collection, the talented designer said, “My couture collection offers is a love affair between contemporary silhouettes and artisanal craftsmanship. The line-up today is a parade of multiple meanings of pret out-

fits in a world where glamour and leisure are entangled.”

“Our brand is built to celebrate the quintessential occasion wear with modern femininity and ritzy aesthetics –its ISH’s intricate close-up details are designed to make each woman in it special. We love to create outfits for those who enjoy wearing trendy clothes and the refinement of luxury,” she added.

Designer Ishita has interpreted botanical motifs into handcrafted textures bringing a new life to the collection. The collection features flowing silhouettes, intricate detailing, and light shades that evoke a sense of grace and sophistication.

KAVITA CHAUHAN cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Designer Ishita Gupta from itsIsh with models showcasing her collection

Clockwise: Maria, Alla, Ekleandra, Ali and Oumaima

—PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA

Dari, Kristine and Oleksa showcasing designer collection

Eat Well to Do Well in Your Exams

your child develop a healthy relationship with food and eating even as they're coping with exam stress.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20

Things move positively on the academic front and encourage you to give your best. Good man management will help you in completing a project or assignment in time. Travelling with your near and dear ones to the countryside will prove immensely fulfilling.

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20

Switching to healthy foods will be the key to remaining fit and active. A family issue may need to be deliberated upon, so that it does not disturb domestic harmony. An out of town invitation will tempt some to undertake the journey. Spirituality may bring a special meaning to your life.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

You are likely to experience a positive phase in your existence. Favourable decision can be expected regarding a piece of property under dispute. Those in tourism and hospitality sectors will find new opportunities knocking at their door. You may take the initiative of organising a family gathering.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

A trip with friends will be both enjoyable and therapeutic. Family life will remain stable and provide you a firm foundation from where to venture forth. This is the best time for launching your ideas at work. Money multiplies through excellent financial planning. The day turns out well for you.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV 23 - DEC 22

The word exam in itself sends people into a frenzy. Exams aren't just stressful for children but for their parents and caregivers as well. But how important is your diet before an exam? Good health is imperative for optimum performance before an exam. Food is not just a source of fuel, but a comforting factor for many.

THE RIGHT KIND OF FOOD

Some foods can cause gastritis, bloating, and discomfort, while some other ones cause sleepiness and lethargy. Taking the right type of food is imperative. Exams are a period of stress for any student irrespective of age, it doesn't matter if you are a child or you are appearing for your master's. It is important to

BREAKFAST CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR EXAM

Exams are an inevitable part of every student's life and there is no way you can avoid them. Eating regular and healthy meals and snacks during the exam period will help you stay nourished. We've all been told how important breakfast is and missing breakfast can be a bad idea because long hours of fasting lead

POINTS TO REMEMBER

l HYDRATION IS KEY

Stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to poor exam performance and fatigue.

l SMALLER DIGESTIBLE MEALS MIGHT BE BETTER

Stick to small frequent meals that are easy to digest over heavy meals. Include protein-rich foods.

l CHOOSE PROTEIN OVER SUGAR

Try to avoid sugary and salty foods as they can lead to bloating, water retention, and weight gain. Instead, pick protein-rich foods which keep you fuller for longer and help build muscle.

l CHOOSE FRUIT OVER JUICE

Avoid fruit juices as they spike blood sugar and can cause your mind to go into a state of confusion and chaos. Instead, prefer to

focus, which is the make or break of your exams.

Sometimes, anxiety can make children feel nauseous and they tend to avoid eating. Still, make sure they have some food in their stomachs before an exam. Their brain will thank them. A good breakfast can energize the brain and work efficiently. This way, the concentration is on the exam rather than the rumbling sound of their stomach.

When you are hungry, it is hard to focus and concentrate. Attention is hampered and exam performance declines. Hence it is necessary as parents to en sure that your kids en joy their meals and snacks. Help

WHAT FOODS CAN I INCLUDE Include foods that increase alertness, enhance memory retention, and can increase energy levels and the general health of your child. Healthy food choices on exam day include protein-rich foods such as eggs, nuts, cottage cheese and yoghurt. A good breakfast combination can include wholegrain cereal with low-fat milk, porridge, muesli or eggs. For Indians, vegetable-rich poha, or oats with nuts, fruits like bananas, apples, pears, and papaya may be given. Dry fruits and nuts are also concentrated sources of energy and should be included. Yoghurt is an excellent choice of protein and probiotics. This means it helps in maintaining the gut flora and prevents gastritis, abdominal bloating and discomfort. It might be best to avoid foods rich in carbohydrates and oily food as they will induce sleep and cause gastritis. A better diet equals better performance.

Change of diet will improve health. A difference of opinion may pit you against a family elder. Those compelled to travel are likely to find interesting company. Some of you will be able to add to your wealth and even plan to buy property. You are set to enjoy the exclusive company of friends.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

Time is favourable as your real estate investments start giving handsome returns. An official trip is likely to keep you tied up. Your help and support to a youngster will help boost his or her self-confidence. Those trying to achieve their professional targets will succeed.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Your professionalism is likely to be praised at work. Someone’s unexpected arrival at home threatens to upset your personal plans. Seeing new places, meeting new people is in store for some. There is nothing that can go wrong today, except things involving property.

VIRGO

AUG 24 - SEP 23

Those in the financial sector can hope to start making profits.

You may think up ways of improving your health. A major renovation work may be undertaken at home. A journey is likely to take you down the memory lane. Travel stars look bright for some, especially for overseas travel.

YOUR DAY

eat the fruit whole. The fibre content will help prevent indigestion and abdominal bloating.

l INCULCATE GOOD DIE-

TARY HABITS YOUNG

A healthy diet and dietary habits start early in life and family and school play a very important role in developing healthy eating habits. Healthy eating patterns which start early in life pave the way for good health. After all, there is no need to change healthy dietary habits during exams. However, if dietary habits are poor, it is necessary to bring in some discipline in the eating habits. What you eat today can pave your way for tomorrow, both in terms of your health and professional career.

Meeting someone new is likely to enlarge your social circle. Something you had wanted for the home may be gifted to you. Your ideas will work on the professional front and speed up the progress. Your financial condition is not bad, but you do possess the potential to earn much more.

CAPRICORN

DEC 23 - JAN 20

Businesspersons are likely to do good business today and earn well. The day proves excellent for you, both personally and professionally. Appease someone in the family to have your way.You may have to put your foot down against a trip you are reluctant to go on.

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 - FEB 19

You will be able to get the study stream you desire on the academic front. Going is likely to get better on the professional front. Purchasing a new car or an expensive appliance is indicated. Children can keep you entertained. The day is favourable to get a project underway.

PISCES

FEB20 - MARCH 20

Some additional perks can be expected by those in the private sector. An enjoyable outing is on the cards for some. Family life will cruise along smoothly and give you time for rest and recoup. A promotion or a prestigious appointment is in store for those in a government job.

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

DR HENA MARIAM cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

SPRING ROYALTY

o green, so glam, oh my! Who needs more when a sareefilled closet is the ultimate glamour hub? As sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious blooms of flowers in shades of pink and yellow are painting streets beautifully bright, we can believe that Spring is springing. Is anyone else getting invited to step out?

Up until now, we have seen saree as a gem and nothing gets us going as

Call Me Bae Teaser

this timeless attire. Janhvi Kapoor's recent look will make you reach more and more of a saree that if you are already at spiralling looks as a wedding guest. Our not-so-hidden routine is to run some constant checks through the Mili actress's photo grids and just this morning a fresh serve with no fashion drama rolled up. The definition of grace is here as Janhvi posted pictures of her "Happy day" from Hyderabad.

Secretly engaged!

Wedding bells seem to be near for Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin.

According to a report from Entertainment Tonight the couple is now engaged after dating for five years.

Previously in early March, Dylan Sprouse and Barabara Palvin sparked engagement rumours when they

Body Positivity

Arjun Ka-

poor’s sister Anshula Kapoor is quite active on Instagram, and she often shares lovely pictures along with empowering notes on body positivity. Anshula shared apost in which she is seen rocking a bodysuit. She looks absolutely stunning, and in her caption, she wrote that she stopped herself from wearing bodysuits as she felt they aren’t flattering for her body shape. In the stunning pic tures, Anshula Kapoor is seen wear ing an offshoulder

black bodysuit. She wrote, “Over the years, I’ve endlessly told myself that bodysuits aren’t flattering for my body shape. I’ve stopped myself from wearing them more times than I can count. But I had a realization earlier this year. There’s a lot of hidden joy in being able to try everything I never let myself explore before, at least once. I want to experience that thrill.”

She further added, “Am I owning it? Who cares!!

Am I having fun?

Oh, 100% yes!

attended the Mammoth Film Festival as the latter was seen wearing a ring on her finger. However, at that time, the couple didn’t confirm their engagement. However recently Entertainment Tonight confirmed that this longtime couple is engaged. Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin are reportedly very

happy and have been showing off the ring to other people. The couple cannot wait to start a new chapter in their life and are happier than usual. As per ET, Dylan and Barbara are very much in love and always stay by each other’s side. Though the couple has not yet commented on these speculations.

REGAL ELEGANCE

Aditi Rao Hydari is undeniably one of the most stylish actors in Bollywood. While she looks stunning no matter what she wears, very few actresses can rock ethnic outfits as gracefully as Aditi can! From anarkalis to sarees, lehengas, and more- Aditi rocks ethnic ensembles effortlessly and with great panache. She has been promoting her recently released series Taj: Divided By Blood and was spotted in Hyderabad a few days ago. The actress exuded regal elegance in a red Punit Balana anarkali, and she has now shared some stunning pictures! If you loved the outfit as much as we did, keep scrolling to find out its details!

Aditi Rao Hydari opted for Punit Balana’s surkh laal Anarkali,

paired with dupatta and chu ridar. The bright red anarkali has angrakha silhouette, with a V-neckline. Made of chanderi silk and organza, the floral red anarkali is embroidered with re sham and coin work.

Instagram Official

Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley is in a relationship. The 27-year-old actress, who plays Kate Sharma in the popular Netflix show, took to her social media to reveal that she is dating her boyfriend Tino Klein. Scroll below to take a look.

A few hours back, Simone took to her Instagram space and posted a black and white picture featuring herself with her beau Tino Klein. In the adorable click, both the lovebirds can be seen sitting

close to each other as they share a happy moment and laugh together. Klein can also be seen holding Ashley’s hand. Sharing the photograph, the Sex Education actress captioned the post, “thank you for tak ing one of my favour ite photos (red heart emoji)” as she tagged the photog rapher Greg Wil liams.

nanya Panday is all set to headline Amazon Prime Video’s new series called ‘Call Me Bae,’ and the first teaser of the show was unveiled today. Directed by Collin D’Cunha, Call Me Bae is a Dharmatic Entertainment production with Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra as executive producers. Today, Varun Dhawan shared a fun teaser in which he is seen introducing the show, while Ananya Panday channels her inner Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada, and schools Varun Dhawan about the nuances of fashion. The video begins with Varun Dhawan revealing the new show titled ‘Call Me Bae’, and as Ananya Panday enters the frame, she interrupts him and says it’s her show where she plays a ‘total fashion expert’. Varun is then seen mocking her as he whispers, “Manish Malhotra ko ‘chachu’ bulane se koi fashion expert nahi banta.” Later, he is seen mocking ‘fashion log (people)’, and Ananya Panday is seen delivering a Meryl Streep-inspired monologue, wherein she schools Varun about his lack of knowledge when it comes to fashion.

Janhvi Kapoor

Barbara Palvin

Still from the teaser

Ananya Panday

Simone Ashley Aditi Rao Hydari

Anshula Kapoor

ACHIEVEMENTS AWARDED!

Jagdeesh Chandra visited the channel office of Bharat24-Vision of New India at NOIDA on Thursday. He also awarded the Top performing Anchors who garnered major traction on the popular Social Media handles of Bharat24. Pooja Yadav, Ayushi Shekhawat and Surabhi Tiwari were awarded for the highest views on Bharat24 Social Media platforms. The day also marked the birthday celebration for the Bharat24 employees whose birthdays fell in the month of March. Jagdeesh Chandra greeted all of them amid cake cutting and gave birthday gifts to each.

at NOIDA on Thursday. Also seen are Sakshi Mishra, Abhinav Shukla, Poornima Mishra, Raj verma and others.

Jagdeesh Chandra awards Ayushi Shekhawat for crossing 2 Million viewership on Bharat24 YouTube & Facebook platforms. Also seen are Anu Shridhar, Prasoon Shukla, Aarif Khan and others.

JIMMY AND HRITIQA ON OPERATION MAYFAIR

Jimmy Shergill and Hritiqa

Chheber are all set to star in Operation

Mayfair, which is a murder investigative thriller. Jimmy and Hritiqa opened up about their character and experience in doing the film.

Sharing his experience

Jimmy said, “I loved the trailer and the responses we are getting for it, even the songs in the movie are lovely. Feedback has been amazing, the response that we have received is that it’s

very interesting. The story is also based on true incidents that hap pen in London, and my character is Aman who was in the police depart ment earlier and moves to London. And due to some unfortu nate incidents and murders back in India, he is called back. The character sketch is very dedicated." Hritiqa Chhe ber will be making her debut with Operation Mayfair, speaking on the same she said, “When I read the script I found it in teresting and when I understood my

Atif Aslam blessed with a baby girl!

We extend our heartiest congratulations to musician Atif Aslam, who has garnered admiration for his songs over the years when he revealed that he has been blessed with a baby girl on social media.

When Atif shared the first image of the daughter has really surprised the fans. The famous musician included a photo and the

name of his munchkin.

As the "new queen of his heart," the singer of Dil Diyan Gallan referred to his daughter. By sharing the picture Atif wrote, "Finally the wait is over.

The new queen of my heart has arrived. Both baby and sarah are fine Alhamdulilah. Please do remember us in your prayers. Ramadan Mubarak from Halima Atif Aslam 23/03/2023 #ramadan."

character it really intrigued me throughout. And the cherry on the cake was that I was about to debut with Jimmy Sir. I just felt really lucky to be doing this.”

She added, “ My character is really relatable to me, she’s very intelligent and

calm and that’s her style of working so I am really looking forward for people to watch it.”

Jimmy on his look shared, “The director wanted the look to showcase the turmoil in his life. With the sneakers and no makeup look. So we have kept it intense” He added, “ For me, the most important

thing is the script I love reading about the story and if interests me I love working on it.”

Speaking on her working experience Hritiqa Chheber shared, “On the first day of my shoot I was extremely nervous but I believe we have gelled along very well throughout the shoot and that is quite evidently seen on screen.”

The ‘Operation Mayfair’ trailer begins with a female fashion model being murdered in London by a serial killer. Amar Singh, played by Jimmy Shergill, a London Police detective, is assigned to help with the investigation. Helmed by Sudipto Sarkar and produced by Bhushan, the film Operation Mayfair is slated to release on March 24, 2023.

Jagdeesh Chandra awards Surabhi Tiwari for crossing the 6.48 Lakh viewership on Bharat24 YouTube & Facebook platforms. Also seen are Anu Shridhar, Prasoon Shukla, Aarif Khan and others.

Kantara prequel confirmed!

The commencement of production on "Kantara 2" was officially confirmed by the producers on Wednesday, which is wonderful news for "Kantara" fans on Ugadi, the Kannada New Year. The prequel to "Kantara" was originally revealed by the film's creators, and now that the voyage has begun, they have begun writing the script.

“On this auspicious occasion of Ugadi & New Year, we are delighted to announce that the writing for the second part of #Kanta-

Kartik gets emotional!

The last time viewers saw Kartik Aaryan was in the Kriti Sanon and Shehzada movie. His upcoming film, Satyaprem Ki Katha, also has Kiara Advani in the title role. Kartik has started filming the film, and last month he posted a photo of the clapboard with the words "Fulfilling" and a heart emoji. On his Instagram page, Kartik Aaryan shared a melancholy

photo of himself working on the Satyaprem Ki Katha set. The only thing visible is the actor's shadow, and he can be seen gazing down at his hands. Along with the solemn picture, Kartik wrote, “Some days when you shoot a scene and it just stays with you… Heart-wrenching day at shoot #SatyaPremKiKatha #29thJune2023 ...” As soon as the post was up fans wondered if Kartik must have shot for an emotional scene.

“It must be an emotion al scene.. tissues saath leke jayenge,” wrote one fan, while another one commented, “Can’t see you sad @kartikaaryan.”

ra has begun. We can’t wait to bring you another captivating story that showcases our relationship with nature. Stay tuned for more updates.”

On September 30 and October 14, respectively, the Kannada and Hindi versions of Kantara were released.

RAJSHREE: QUEEN OF DIRECTION

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

Rajshree is known for directing movies like Aisha (featuring Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, etc.) and Chaurahen (Soha Ali Khan, Zeenat Aman, etc)

The first season of Potluck received positive reviews from both audiences and critics.

Tell us something about yourself, we need to know more about the director Rajashree Ojha

I come from Kolkata, and after completing 12th grade, I decided to pursue my undergraduate studies

in computer science in America. Though my true passion was in filmmaking, I was hesitant to tell my father during that time in 1994. Despite my uncertainty about the field, I delved into coding and completed my degree. I embarked on a dual journey of pursuing my interests in both computer science and filmmaking. Soon after, I received admission into the American Institute of my choice to pursue my master's. During this time, I created a film Bager that received positive feedback and was even submitted to the e-film festival. Upon showing this to my father, I felt motivated to pursue my true passion for filmmaking. I returned to India and completed a 2-year program in film direction, during which I re-

Rajshree Ojha, director of the second season of Potluck 2 on Sony Liv went candid in an exclusive interview with City First

ceived the Best Director Award in 2000. With numerous accolades and a newfound confidence, I felt ready to take on the world of filmmaking. So that is how my journey started and then I made Chaurahen and then Aisha although Aisha was

released first. What’s different from the previous season? Season 1 was a Biobubble shoot while S-2 was a regular shoot, the difference is you get a little bit more freedom, you open up, show a little bit more, you go to different locations, and you

have other actors who are coming in and enjoying. It is like a family, so yeah that's the difference I think.

Your series represents contemporary urban family drama. What kind of feedback do you get from the audience who find your story relatable?

I find the most common one is - we loved it. I recently got feedback. We loved it. It was so much fun. I understood what Pramila was going through and her transition. We understood what she was in her journey. This was the last feedback I got. I also got a lot of feedback. This is so good. This is so good. The

journey was very fantastic. After Covid, many films and series are dropping on OTT every weekend, providing series lovers with many choices, due to which sometimes a great show gets lost amid the other hyped shows. How did you manage to cope with this situation? Well, there is lots of content everywhere, not only in series. You just have to do the good work and after a while just hope for the best. I think good work finds its path and audience. So if one person is just sitting and saying, hey, let me watch something, and right there it comes Potluck. And he likes it, and then he kind of recommends someone else. That's how a good show continues. And Potluck is a show not like going out of style because it is a show that you can watch anytime.

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

Hritiqa Chheber

Jimmy Shergill

Poster of the film...

Atif Aslam

Kartik Aaryan

Rajshree Ojha, Ira Dubey and Cyrus Sahukar Rajshree Ojha

Jagdeesh Chandra awards Pooja Yadav for crossing the 3.3 million viewership on Bharat24 YouTube & Facebook platforms. Also seen are Anu Shridhar, Prasoon Shukla, Aarif Khan and others.

Jagdeesh Chandra during the cake cutting ceremony at Bharat24Vision of New India