First India-Mumbai Edition-25th March 2023

AJAY BANGA TESTS COVID +VE; INDIA MEETS WITH MODI, SITHA CANCELLED

New Delhi: The United States nominee for World Bank Prez, Indian-American Ajay Banga, who arrived in Delhi on a 2-day, tested Covid positive during a routine testing. Banga was scheduled to meet with PM Narendra Modi, FinMin Nirmala Sitharaman & EAM S Jaishankar on Friday.

RAHUL GANDHI HAS ‘PATHETIC AND CASTEIST MINDSET’: NADDA

New Delhi: BJP Nat’l Prez JP Nadda on Friday attacked Rahul over his “Modis are thieves” remark and alleged that by comparing OBC communities to thieves, Gandhi has shown a “pathetic & casteist mindset”. P5

PM launches 28 projects worth `1,780 crore in Varanasi, reveals plans for Ganga ghats

‘VIRASAT’ ‘

VIKAS’ IN KASHI!

Moni Sharma

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of a passenger ropeway from Varanasi Cantonment station to Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, besides launching and inaugurating 27 other development projects worth `1,780 crore. He went on to recount development works undertaken in holy city over last 8-9 years, saying speed with which “Banaras is developing, now time has come to give it a new pace”. “Today Varanasi has several projects, from clean water, education and rejuvenation of Ganga, to sports facilities,” PM added. Modi dedicated over 19 drinking water schemes that will benefit 3 lakh people in 63 panchayats under the JJM.

ropeway project is estimated to cost over `645 crore

l 5 stations will facilitate ease of movement for tourists and pilgirms

l Ropeway project will be available with facilities like

l For a 55 million litres per day sewage treatment plant at Bhagwanpur at an estimated cost of `300 cr

l Phase 2 and Phase 3 redevelopment work of Sigra Stadium

l 59 drinking water

Uttar Pradesh is rising from the earlier hopelessness towards a State of hope and aspiration under the Yogi Adityanath government.

—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

parking, food etc

l Floating jetty will soon be constructed for devotees and tourists and will increase attraction here

l Air connectivity will also be enhanced by establishing an ATC tower

schemes under the JJM

l LPG bottling plant at Isarwar village, to be built by the HPCL Ltd

l Various health projects including Primary Health Care centres will come up in Bharthara village

Drugs free society, a prerequisite for developed India: Amit Shah

First India Bureau Bengaluru: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday attended NCB’s Regional Conference on Drug Trafficking & National Security for Southern States/UTs in Bengaluru. He emphasized that the whole nation would have to come together to make India drug free. He further said that Drug free society would be a prerequisite for a developed India. He said, “PM Modi kept vision of a drugfree society and we will take this ahead. All the departments of the nation and political lead-

Finance Bill 2023 cleared in LS without discussion

Mumbai: Filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, who was best-known for directing films like Parineeta, Helicopter Eela and Mardaani, has died at the age of 67. Wife said he succumbed to pneumonia.

SC TO HEAR OPPN’S

PLEA AGAINST ED, CBI

MISUSE BY CENTRE

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to list for hearing on April 5 a plea by 14 opposition parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against political opponents. P5

4 PC: CENTRE HIKES

DEARNESS ALLOWANCE FOR GOVT STAFFERS

New Delhi: The central government has hiked the Dearness Allowance (DA) for govt staffers and pensioners by four percentage points to 42% from the existing 38%. The decision was taken at meeting of Union Cabinet led by PM Modi on Friday.

NIA CHARGE-SHEETS

LAWRENCE, GOLDY, 12

MORE IN NEXUS CASE

New Delhi: NIA on Friday filed a fresh charge sheet against jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar and a dozen others. The charge sheet came in the second of the 3 terror-gangster nexus cases that are being probed.

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Finance Bill 2023 with 64 official amendments, including the one that seeks withdrawal of

long-term tax benefits on certain categories of debt mutual funds and another for setting up the GST Appelate Tribunal. The Finance Bill that gives effect to tax proposals for fiscal year

starting April 1 was passed without a discussion amidst ruckus by opposition members demanding a JPC probe into the allegations against the Adani group of companies. P5 & P7

ers need to come forward to fight this.”

Shah said that a successful anti-drug campaign was key to India’s advancement and goal of achieving a $5 trillion economy by

2025 and that fight cannot be successful unless there’s a whole of govt approach, adding that our sea routes should never be open to drugs going to any part of the world. P6

l Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as the Lok Sabha MP

l Surat court sentenced Rahul Gandhi to 2 years in jail in the case on Thursday

l Lok Sabha Secre-

tariat has disqualified

Rahul, declared his constituency vacant

l Legal experts say MP from Wayanad stood “automatically” disqualified with conviction

l Action can be staved off if Rahul Gandhi manages to get the conviction overturned

l EC can now announce spl election for the seat, Gandhi can be asked to vacate govt bungalow

I AM FIGHTING FOR VOICE OF INDIA, READY TO PAY ANY PRICE.

ED arrests own staffers for accepting bribe and revealing ‘secret’ information

First India Bureau Mumbai: A special PMLA court here on Friday remanded two staffers of the Enforcement Directorate in the Central probe agency's custody till March 28 for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to provide "secret" information to an accused in a money laundering case.

Yogesh Wagule and Vishal Kudekar were arrested by ED during the day for helping Bablu Sonkar, an associate of Amar Mulchandani, former chairman of

Seva Vikas Co-operative (SVC) Bank, after accepting Rs 13,000. Sonkar too has been arrested, and the three were produced before special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Judge M G Deshpande, who remanded them in ED custody till March 28.

ED counsel Kavita

Patil told court the bribe was paid to "purchase secret office documents" of ED so as to keep a close watch on the probe agency's findings in the case against Mulchandani as well as

NATIONALIST CONGRESS SUPPORTS CONGRESS’ RAHUL

to keep track of witnesses who are being summoned and what was being unearthed from them.

Sonkar had also paid a bribe of Rs 40,000 to a driver attached to the ED who was on duty when Vinay Aranha of

Rosary Education Group of Pune, was arrested in a money laundering case earlier this month, as per the probe agency.

Aranha is accused of defaulting on loans taken from various banks, including two from SVC Bank. The loans were taken from SVC Bank by mortgaging a property that had already been sold, and the loan account was declared an NPA, as per the ED.

The ED has claimed the SVC Board of Directors headed by Mulchandani had sanctioned the loans to Aranha.

RaGa’s disqualification against basic tenets of Constitution: Pawar

Pawar also referred to disqualification of NCP MP from Lakshadweep Mohammed Faizal after conviction in attempt to murder case

First India Bureau Mumbai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as Lok Sabha MP was against the basic tenets of the Constitution and was a

“condemnable” move which highlighted the curtailment of democratic values, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.

Gandhi, representing Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat.

He was, on Thursday, sentenced to two years in jail in a criminal his “Modi surname” remarks at a 2019 poll

rally in Karnataka. However, the Surat court also granted him

We all need to stand together to defend our democratic institutions, Pawar said

bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

The NCP chief also referred to the disqualification of his party

MP from Lakshadweep Mohammed Faizal P P following the latter’s conviction in an attempt to murder case.

Faizal’s conviction was later suspended by the Kerala High Court.

“The disqualification of Mr Rahul Gandhi and Mr Faizal a few months ago as MPs of the Lok Sabha are against the basic tenets of the constitution, where democratic values are being curtailed. This is condemnable and against the very

principles on which the constitution is based,” Pawar tweeted. “Our constitution guarantees the right of each Individual to fair justice; liberty of thought; equality of status and opportunity and fraternity assuring the dignity of each Indian. #RahulGandhi,” Pawar further said in a series of tweets.

“We all need to stand together to defend our democratic institutions,” he added

—FILE PHOTO

PM Narendra Modi dedicates and lays foundation of various projects, in Varanasi on Friday. UP Governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Ravindra Jaiswal and others also seen.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah greets crowd during the ‘Regional Conference on Drug Trafficking and National Security for Southern States/UTs’, in Bengaluru on Friday.

—Rahul Gandhi, Senior Congress Leader

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conducts proceedings of the House during the second phase of Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Friday. (R) Nirmala Sitharaman speaks in the LS on Friday.

RAHUL GANDHI CONVICTION

‘Murder’ of democracy, says Uddhav after Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Uddhav

Thackeray on Friday dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as the “murder” of democracy and said this is the beginning of the end of “dictatorship”. In a statement, Thackeray said it has become a crime to call a thief a thief, while those “looting” the country are out.

“This is the murder of democracy. All agencies are under pressure. This is the beginning of the end of the dictatorship...the battle only needs a direction (now),” Thackeray said.

Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

Announcing his disqualification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification said that it was effective from March 23, the day of his conviction.

“Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat, Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March, 2023,” the notification read. The Su -

OPPN STAGES WALKOUT TO PROTEST GANDHI’S DISQUALIFICATION AS MP

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Friday staged a walkout to protest the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a member of the Lok Sabha.

Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

“We condemn the decision to disqualify Rahul Gandhi as a member of the Lok Sabha. We decided to walk out in protest,”

rat court on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a defamation case, filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh

HITTING RaGa’S POSTER WITH SLIPPERS: DIN IN ASSEMBLY AS CONG SEEKS SUSPENSION

ACB notice to Salvi’s family for questioning

First India Bureau

said senior Congress leader Nana Patole.

The Opposition members, including MLAs from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), then protested on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar said the law under which a member stands disqualified

Modi for his alleged remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

Following his dis-

Jailed in Elgar Parishad case, Hany Babu to get hon-doctorate

First India Bureau

Nagpur: Former Delhi University associate professor Dr. Hany Babu, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case and currently lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, is set to get an honorary doctorate degree from a university in Belgium, his wife has said.

In a release issued on Thursday, Hany’s wife Jenny Rowena said he will be awarded the honorary doctorate from the faculty of Arts and Philosophy of Ghent University, Belgium on Friday. In July 2020,

Hany Babu was arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, becoming the 12th person to be arrested in the case. The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conference that was held in Pune on December 31, 2017. According to Pune police,

the speeches made during the conference incited caste-based violence at the Bhima Koregaon war memorial located near Pune city, which took place the following day. The police have also alleged that the conference was supported by Maoists.

“The faculty of Arts and Philosophy of Ghent University, which nominated Dr. Hany Babu’s name to the executive committee, justified its nomination by pointing to his efforts to safeguard the importance of academic freedom,” his wife stated in the release.

after a conviction was enacted by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government and the Centre has implemented it.

“Congress MLAs staging a walkout is laughable,” he said. A court in Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a defamation case on Thursday.

qualification, Rahul Gandhi would not be able to contest elections for years unless a higher court stays his conviction and sentence.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Friday after Congress members demanded the suspension of those members from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena, who hit a poster of Rahul Gandhi with footwear a day ago over his remarks against Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.

The House was adjourned three times as pandemonium prevailed due to sloganeering by Congress legislators and the treasury benches. Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar later said he would issue a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and code of conduct for the members in respect of references

20% more buses to run on weekends, holidays from Apr

First India Bureau

Mumbai: For convenience of commuters, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) has decided to design a new pattern for the operations of its buses on Sundays and holidays.

The civic transport body would be following the new pattern from April, stating that at present only 60% of buses operate on Sundays, however, now BEST will try and run over 80% of buses on weekends and holidays in Mumbai.

As per reports, at present, over 3,600 buses

are being daily operated by BEST in the city which is used by more than 35 lakh passengers during weekdays. Meanwhile, currently, around 25,000 taxis are running on the road, out of this nearly 40% stay off the road on Sunday.

Lokesh Chandra, the general manager of BEST, has announced that they will be redesigning their bus operation schedule for Sundays and holidays due to the fact that 40% of taxis and rickshaws do not operate on those days, causing issues with last-mile connectivity for private sector workers.

BETTER LATE THAN SORRY

to prime minister, chief minister and national leaders, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde slammed the opposition for “insulting” Savarkar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The members of the BJP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had on Thursday hit the poster of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with footwear on the stairs of the Legislature complex here for his remarks against Savarkar.

Gandhi has been repeatedly targeting Savarkar. During the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra in November last year, Gandhi had claimed that the Hindutva ideologue helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) served a notice to Uddhav Thackeray MLA Rajan Salvi’s family, summoning them for questioning on Friday.

According to the officials, the inquiry will be held in the disproportionate assets case. The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sent notices to the son, brother, sister-in-law and wife of Uddhav faction MLA Rajan Salvi, asking them to appear for questioning today in the alleged disproportionate assets case.

ACB has already interrogated Rajan Salvi in the excess property case and now sent a notice to the family to appear for questioning.

MLA Rajan Salvi said, “Efforts are being made to put pressure on me, due to which my family is being targeted, no matter what they do, I am not afraid.”

“ACB has questioned me four times in this matter, will interrogate my family today and tomorrow. Whatever happens, I will always stand with Uddhav Thackeray ji, I am not afraid”, the MLA said.

Salvi added,

“when I got the first notice, the same day I contacted Uddhav Thackeray, he said to keep fighting, I am with you.” Earlier, ACB sent notices to the wife, brother and sister-in-law of MLA Rajan Salvi, asking them to appear for questioning on March 20 in the alleged disproportionate assets case.

“Since this notice, my mother, who is a very aged person, is seen worried every now and then. The pressure mechanism has started to work”, Rajan Salvi said. Salvi alleged that as soon as he leaves the Uddhav Thackeray faction and joins the BJP or Shinde faction, all these charges will get whitewashed off him.

School Bus Association to increase bus fares by 15-20%

First India Bureau Mumbai: After increasing the fare by 30% last year, the School Bus Association has decided to increase the fare of school buses in Mumbai by 15 to 20% again this year. Accordingly, the fee will be increased from April 01.

The association raised the school bus fare by 30% last year as the rent was not increased during the pandemic. This year, they have decided to increase the fee by another 20%.

The ‘School Bus Association’ has cited the

increase in fuel prices, the increased cost of bus materials, the financial calculations of the month are coming to an end.

Anil Garg, president of the School Bus Association, said that the policy of the central government is to scrap vehicles older than fif-

Tattoo helps police track down accused in 15-yo case

lll

After working on input, the police has arrested a 63-year-old accused absconding in housebreaking & theft case

First India Bureau Mumbai: Mumbai police on Thursday arrested a 63-year-old man who was absconding for the past 15 years in a housebreaking and theft case after working on the input that the accused has a tattoo on his hand, an official said.

Armugam Pallaswami Devendra Mudaliar,

then a resident of Antop Hill in central Mumbai, was nabbed from the Fort area in South Mumbai, the official said. He was working for a travel agency using a fake identity.

Mudaliar, who faces more than five cases in Mumbai and Gujarat, was wanted in a theft and housebreaking case registered in 2008 at Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg police station, he said. As he was untraceable, a local court

declared him as absconding, he said.

The RAK Marg police recently started the investigation afresh and began looking for him at Kalyan, Bhandup and Mahim, he said.

Initially, police got the information that Mudaliar had fled to Tamil Nadu and there were even speculations that he was no more, he said. A team working

on the case learnt from police records that Mudaliar has a tattoo on his hand. The team also found his signature, he said.

With the help of these details, police tracked Mudaliar to the city’s Fort area on Thursday, he said. After verification of the tattoo and his signature, police arrested him in the 15-year-old case, he said.

teen years. Now the rates of new buses have also increased, says the association. Now the cost of a new bus is Rs28 lakh, while the price of a minibus is Rs21 lakh.

“Also the prices of spare parts, and batteries have increased by 12% to 18%,” he added.

Cops seize 2K kg of beef in Thane; two booked

Thane: The police seized 2,000 kg of beef from a tempo at Kalyan city in Thane district, an official said on Friday. The vehicle was intercepted at Khadakpada circle in Kalyan around 11.45 am on Thursday, the official said. Although the individuals in the vehicle fled the scene, an investigation has been launched, official added.

The RAK Marg police recently started the investigation afresh and began looking for him at Kalyan, Bhandup and Mahim.

BJP-Shiv Sena members during the protest. —FILE PHOTO

In a statement, Thackeray said it has become a crime to call a thief, a ‘thief’. —FILE PHOTO

AMRUTA FADNAVIS ‘EXTORTION’ CASE

‘Jaisinghani, his daughter worked in tandem, wanted to trap Amruta’

she discussed it with father & ‘bookie’ Anil Jaisinghani

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani and his daughter Aniksha used to together plan what kind of messages should be sent and demands to be put before Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while trying to blackmail her, police officials handling the probe in the case said.

Aniksha Jaisinghani is accused of trying to blackmail and bribe Amruta Fadnavis. Aniksha 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, also an accused in the case, was arrested on March 20 from Gujarat.

The officials said the father-daughter duo worked in tandem and discussed each and everything related to the sordid episode.

Before sending any WhatsApp message on Amruta Fadnavis's mobile phone, Aniksha Jaisinghani used to discuss it with her father, said an official. During

the probe, the police found screenshots of messages on a mobile phone, which were to be sent to Amruta Fadnavis, and the duo also discussed replies to be given, he said. This clearly indicates the father-daughter duo was planning together to trap the complainant, he said.

After Amruta Fad -

Bootlegging case: MP cops in Mumbai to seek custody of Jaisinghani

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Now, the Madhya Pradesh police is also in Mumbai seeking custody of alleged bookie and hawala operator Anil Jaisinghani for questioning in connection with the 2020 bootlegging case in Dhar district.

Two men rape girl after tying her partner to tree in Palghar

Palghar (PTI): According to police, a young woman who was taking a walk with her boyfriend in the Palghar district of Maharashtra was reportedly sexually assaulted by two men on Wednesday evening.

The suspects, aged 22 and 25, allegedly restrained the victim's boyfriend by tying him to a tree during the attack. Following their arrest, the accused were brought before a local judge who ordered their detention in police custody until March 27.

navis blocked Aniksha Jaisinghani's mobile number, some threat and blackmail messages were allegedly sent to the former by Anil Jaisinghani, said the police official. Initially Aniksha Jaisinghani had taken the name of two persons in connection with the entire episode, but after verification it came to light

she was misleading the police, he said. She had introduced herself to Amruta Fadnavis as a fashion designer a few years ago, but now claims she is actually a law student, the official said. Aniksha Jaisinghani may have changed her version about profession to get sympathy, he said.

ANIKSHA SENT TO 14-DAY JUDICIAL CUSTODY

Mumbai (FIB): A court on Friday sent Aniksha Jaisinghani, arrested for allegedly offering a bribe to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta and also threatening her, to 14day judicial custody, turning down the cops' plea to extend her police remand.

The police produced Aniksha before sessions court judge DD Almale at the end of her previous remand.

The police, represented by special public prosecutor Ajay Misar, sought her custody for three more days to confront her with a witness.

Aniksha's lawyer Manan Sanghai submitted that no new ground was made

out for extending the police remand. The court, after hearing both sides, rejected the investigators' plea and remanded the accused in judicial custody.

In her statement to the police, Amruta said she first met Aniksha in November 2021. Aniksha claimed that she was a designer of clothes, jewellery and footwear and requested the BJP leader's wife to wear them at public events

56-year-old held for abetting suicide of daughter-in-law

First India Bureau

Thane: Police have arrested a 56-year-old man in Thane city of Maharashtra for allegedly harassing his daughterin-law and abetting her suicide, an official said on Friday. The 22-yearold victim hanged herself to death at her inlaws' house in Balkum locality of the city on March 22 morning.

A complaint lodged by the victim's brother said his sister had married the son of the ac-

cused in 2018. She lived with her husband and father-in-law. The complainant alleged that his sister's father-in-law would harass and torture her saying that she does not work well.

"On Wednesday, she called her brother around 8.30 am and asked him to visit her place as soon as possible as she was tired of being beaten and harassed frequently by her father-in-law, who would come home drunk. But after an

hour, the complainant got a call from the victim's husband informing him that the victim had hanged herself to death in the house," an official of Kapurbawdi police station said. Based on the complaint, an offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) was registered against the accused and arrested him.

saying it would help her promote the products, the police have said.

After gaining Amruta's trust, Aniksha offered to provide her with information on some bookies through which, she claimed, they could make money. She then directly offered Amruta Rs1 crore to get her father off the hook in a police case, as per the FIR.

Amruta Fadnavis also told the police that she was upset by Aniksha's behaviour and blocked her number. The woman then allegedly sent Amruta video clips, voice notes and many messages from an unknown number, said official.

Boys drown in rainwater-filled pit; cops book 2

First India Bureau

Thane: Two boys drowned in a waterfilled pit that was dug up for a pipeline work at Ambarnath in Maharashtra's Thane district, after which the police registered an offence against two contractors for negligence, an official has said.

The children aged six and eight years drowned on Wednesday after accidentally falling into the pit while playing near their house in Dhaval Pada locality, the police official said.

Jaisinghani was arrested by the Mumbai police after a chase in several districts of Gujarat on Sunday for alleged blackmailing and extortion case filed by Maharashtra Dy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis' wife Amruta. He is in police custody till March 27. As per the Madhya Pradesh Police team in Mumbai, Anil Jaisinghani (54) was booked for allegedly smuggling alcohol from Daman and Diu to Dhar district following the seizure of Rs50 lakhs worth of liquor in August 2020.

“The arrest of Indore residents Gaffar and Munir led the investigators to Anil Jaisinghani. He ran the alcohol smuggling racket using the network of bookies in Dhar, Dewas, Indore, Dhamond, Malwa and Nimar region,” said a senior MP Police official.

The girl and her boyfriend had gone to a nearby hill for a walk when the accused saw them. The accused persons threatened the

couple, said the police. Subsequently, a dispute ensued between the accused and the male juvenile, who struck the pair with a beer bottle that was devoid of its contents. Afterward, the two men disrobed the man and tied him to a tree, according to their account. Next, the duo forcibly took the female

Misappropriation of funds: Five booked

First India Bureau Thane: A case has been registered against an admin appointed to oversee the workings of cooperative housing societies and four others for alleged misappropriation of funds in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said on Friday.

According to the police, the individual primarily responsible for the incident was assigned the task of supervising the activities of cooperative housing societies in the urban area, which had complained of misuse of funds.

The cooperative registrar received griev-

ances from society members and consequently directed an investigation into the financial records, uncovering numerous anomalies, as stated by the spokesperson.

Though he was authorized only to oversee the management of societies, the accused official had illegally spent Rs40.22 lakh for various works without taking permission from members, he said.

Beneficiaries and contractors who were awarded the contracts without following any regulations have also been named in the First Information Report (FIR).

Three scrap dealers attacked, robbed in Navi Mum; case filed

First India Bureau

Thane: The Navi Mumbai police have registered a case of dacoity against a group of around 20 persons, who allegedly attacked three scrap dealers and robbed them of their belongings worth more than Rs5 lakh in Dhule district of north Maharashtra, an official said on Friday. The incident occurred on March 20 night, he said.

"Complainant Farhan Khot from Panvel had got information that copper in windmills

BEWARE DEFAULTERS

was up for sale as scrap at Jamda in Dhule and he was keen on purchasing it. Accordingly, he and two other dealers went to Dhule for it," an official of Panvel town police station said.

During their meeting with two persons in Dhule, whom they had contacted for the deal, a group of around 20 persons appeared on the

scene and attacked the scrap dealers by punching and kicking them. The two persons with whom the victims were holding talks also joined the attackers. The accused robbed the victims of their belongings, including cash and jewellery collectively worth Rs5.07 lakh, he said. The victims later returned to Panvel and lodged a complaint, based on which the police registered an offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 395 (dacoity) against the accused.

victim to a secluded location and raped her. Additionally, they set fire to the victim's handbag, reported the authorities. The victim escaped from the clutches of the accused and managed to reach home, but the boy remained tied to the tree and was rescued by the police hours later.

CRUCIAL READ BUS RUNS OVER BEST DRIVER INSIDE DEPOT

Mumbai: A 55-year-old driver employed with the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Ltd was run over by a bus inside a depot here, official said. The victim sustained serious injuries and was declared dead by the doctor in an ambulance, he said. The incident took place in the Kala Killa-Dharavi bus depot when the driver posted on CNG fuelling duty was hit by an electric bus coming out of the washing shed, he said.

‘114

VILLAGES DO NOT HAVE BURIAL GROUND’

Alibaug: As many as 114 villages in Raigad do not have a cremation site or a burial ground, an official said on Friday. Out of the total 1,999 villages in the district, 114 lack a cremation site for their residents, according to collector Dr. Yogesh Mhase. An order has been issued to the revenue official and circle inspector to locate a suitable location for these villages to provide the necessary facility. The collector further said there were 2,214 villages in district.

DUO SNATCHES 69-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S CHAIN

Thane: A man and his female accomplice snatched the gold chain of a 69-yearold woman at knifepoint and injured her by pushing her down in Thane city, a police official said on Friday. The incident took place in the city’s Vartak Nagar area on March 20, However, a case could not be registered immediately as the woman was admitted to a hospital due to a hip fracture caused by the fall, an official said.

Municipal Corp to now auction other properties of tax defaulters

First India Bureau

Mumbai: To recover property tax, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started the process of appointing a private organization to search for more immovable properties and investments of nearly 67 defaulters.

These property owners owe a total of over Rs355 crore, which includes basic tax of Rs268 crore and penalty

of Rs87 crore. This is the first time that the BMC has taken steps to seize and auction other properties of property tax defaulters.

Property tax is a major source of income for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). But it has not been able to meet the property tax target for the past seven years and overall revenue has seen a notable decline.

In the current financial year, the civic assess-

ment and collection department has collected Rs4,767 crore till March 22, with less than a week in hand before the financial year ends. The target was Rs7,000 crore, considering a 14% hike. However, the state government struck down the hike and the BMC revised its target to Rs4,800 crore.

Last year, 2021-22, the total property tax collection was Rs5,792 crore. The civic body has

initiated action against property tax defaulters and seized properties of these defaulters under various categories like residential, industrial, commercial and open space. These property owners owe a total of Rs355.19 crore.

Property tax has to be deposited within 90 days of receipt of property tax bills. If the tax is not paid during this period, the BMC takes action like sending a notice.

BMC PROPOSES 50% RENT INCREASE FOR MUNICIPAL GALAS

Mumbai (FIB): Gala holders from Lalbaug Market, on behalf of other trade associations and stall holders, met joint municipal commissioner Ramesh Pawar and assistant municipal commissioner Prakash Rasal along with Shiv Sena UBT’s former corporator Anil Kokil and MLA Ajay Choudhary. Rajendra Bahadur Singh, president of the Lalbaug Market Merchants Association, said that their monthly rent, which used to be `120, had been hiked to `1,350 and would be further increased by 5% every year. “This increase is unfair,” he said. “Our businesses have been disrupted since the pandemic and online malls have eaten into them. We can understand a hike from `120 to `200, but to push it to `1,350 with an annual 5% hike and 18% GST is unaffordable. What will we earn and save? There is no maintenance of municipal markets either,” Singh added.

Before sending any message to Fadnavis,

Anil Jaisinghani being taken by authorities.

—FILE PHOTO

The police have arrested both the accused and registered a case of gangrape against the duo.

INDIA AND JAPAN IN THE INDO-PACIFIC A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP

IN-DEPTH

HEALTH ISSUES MAKE DELHI HC JUDGE TO STAND AND HEAR CASES

With cooperation between G-7 and G-20 as Japan is the current president of the former and India of the latter, this partnership could acquire global dimensions. In the strategic calculations in the Indo-Pacific and global geopolitics, India can be ‘an indispensable partner’. Assertions like ‘the rise of countries like India’ in the Global South could be a signal that New Delhi is considered for a leadership role among the developing countries. Lastly, the Chinese may aspire to be a global power, India and Japan will play prominent role in the Asian Century

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida recently was on an official visit to India. The visit consolidated the increasing proximity between the two countries and enhanced economic and defence ties. From the revival of the term ‘Indo-Pacific’ by Shinzo Abe in 2007 to the evocation of the ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ in 2016, India and Japan have been interacting both intensively and extensively over the last two decades. Though the term is a geopolitical construct, it has acquired multi-dimensionality over the years. Bilaterally, India is the largest recipient of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) in recent years. Japan’s investments in the Indian industrial sector are reflected in the several special economic zones (SEZs) across the country. New Delhi and Tokyo are also collaborating on matters of defence and security.

In the geostrategic context, Indian and Japanese security perceptions converge in the region with China being the primary driver of common apprehensions. Though a bigger and formidable trading partner of China, Japan faces issues related to territorial claims in the Sea of Japan.

COURT ORDER BRINGS OPPN PARTIES CLOSER

These challenges are like India’s territorial and border claims, the major difference being that they are maritime.

Chinese actions regularly threaten Japanese sovereignty in the Senkaku islands, just as India’s northern border and territories witness Chinese aggression. These issues, however, are peculiar to sovereign territorial assertion in their respective regions. For Japan, however, the threat is complex in nature with presence of North Korea, China and Russia in the region.

Northeast Asia, from a geostrategic perspective is an arc of instability with three major realms (Trade Dependent Atlantic-Pacific Realm of the United States (US), Heartlandic Realm of Russia and East Asian Realm of China) converging in the region.

In Indo-Pacific, the maritime mega-region, India and Japan have joined the reinvented QUAD with Australia and the US. Initially a humanitarian partnership in the wake of Tsunami of 2004, it is now clearly a strategic grouping. With Japan, India and Australia being natural stakeholders in the region, the US perhaps provides the connect and military muscle to the regional powers. New Delhi, Tokyo and Canberra also are part of the Trilateral Supply Chain Resilience Initiative in the wake of the pandemic.

For India, a traditional economic beneficiary of the Japan led Asian Development Bank, the burgeoning partner-

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida recently was on an official visit to India. The visit consolidated the increasing proximity between the two countries and enhanced economic and defence ties

ship could reap tangible benefits. Modi Government’s quest to create world class infrastructure in the country already has significant Japanese imprint. The much-touted Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor, multiple metro projects and the Dedicated Freight Corridor are being constructed with Japanese investment and technology. PM Kishida announced USD 75 Billion as ODA to India. Furthermore, bilateral defence and technology cooperation with India featured prominently in statements released after the summit meeting. Japan’s cooperation in enhancing technological competitiveness of the Indian industry is crucial for India. Such collaboration will be more effective and beneficial when combined with the fact that Japanese industry are gradually shifting their manufacturing bases from China. India could provide a robust alternative. India and Japan in their respective regions (Indian Ocean and Northwest Pacific) are naval powers of repute.

India with its dominant strategic location and a strong navy aspires to be a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region. Similarly, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force or the Japanese Navy is one of the most powerful in the world and is likely to make an impact on the international security architecture sooner than later. Early signs of closer defence cooperation are visible between the two. Military exercises, namely ‘Exercise Veer Guardian’ (Air Force) in January 2023 near Tokyo and another named ‘Exercise Dharma Guardian’ (Army) in February 2023 in Shiga province were conducted. Over the years Japan and Australia have participated in the India led MALABAR naval exercise in the Indian Ocean.

With cooperation between G-7 and G-20 as Japan is the current president of the former and India of the latter, this partnership could acquire global dimensions. In the strategic calculations in the Indo-Pacific and global geopolitics, India can be ‘an indispensable partner’. Assertions like ‘the rise of countries like India’ in the Global South could be a signal that New Delhi is considered for a leadership role among the developing countries. Lastly, the Chinese may aspire to be a global power, India and Japan will play prominent role in the Asian Century.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Everyone is interested in a court’s proceedings and judgments but no one tries to find out the health issues a judge has to face while sitting in the court for long hours. How severe this problem is can be best understood by the decision of the Delhi High Court’s Justice Pratibha M. Singh to stand intermittently while conducting the proceedings. Seeing Justice Singh stand and hear arguments made a unique sight on Friday but it draws attention to the serious health issue. “As judges we spend 14-16 hours sitting on chairs. It takes a toll on our health,” she said. Justice Singh went on to explain that her doctors have advised her to take hourly breaks and as that was not possible, she decided to stand up. With 50 cases listed before her, Justice Singh kept standing from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm and then from 3.45 pm till 4.25 pm to conduct the proceedings. She has set a new precedent.

SPIRITUAL

This one is for all those times you made an excuse for not accomplishing your goals. Bhagavad

TOP TWEETS

Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp

Birds of a feather flock together! Politics of vengeance is TMC’s brand of politics not the BJP’s. Manufacturers of faux-victimhood must understand that there is no conviction without an evidence of guilt or wrong-doing.

Kiren Rijiju @KirenRijiju

S

urat court’s order convicting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case has had a unifying effect on opposition parties. On the day of the court’s verdict, the Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar chaired a meeting of some opposition leaders on electronic voting machines (EVMs). Pawar said that efficacy of EVMs was crucial for free and fair elections and the Election Commission should allay all doubts regarding EVMs. Leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Shiv Sena, besides Kapil Sibal, who attended the meeting, rejected the EC’s plan to use EVMs to allow remote voting for mi-

Surat court’s order convicting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case has had a unifying effect on Opposition parties. On the day of the court’s verdict, the NCP president Sharad Pawar chaired a meeting of some Opposition leaders on EVMs

grant workers. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was busy charting her own course and gave Pawar’s meeting a skip. Presumably because they have the same inclination towards the BJP, Mamata decided to meet Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha and president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The

two discussed formation of a Third Front and resolved to make India’s federal structure stronger.

In a move indicating a possible coming together of opposition parties barring the TMC and BJD, 14 opposition parties led by Congress party moved the Supreme Court on Friday against the misuse of CBI and Enforcement Directorate to target leaders of opposition parties. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud agreed to consider the plea on April 5. The parties have requested the apex court to lay down pre and post arrest guidelines for the two agencies as “ninety-five per cent cases are against opposition leaders. The court order has brought opposition parties closer, but will they close their ranks?

We can’t blame all Gandhi surnames just because Rahul Gandhi insulted Indian democracy, our Armed forces & India’s Institutions. Rahul Gandhi made very derogatory remark and disgraced an entire OBC Community. Shockingly, some Congress leaders are trying to defend it!

DR KRISHNENDRA MEENA The writer is Associate Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

RAHUL GANDHI’S DISQUALIFICATION FROM LOK SABHA “

STRANGULATION OF DEMOCRACY”

SAYS CONGRESS AFTER RaGa’S DISQUALIFICATION AS MP

30 MPs DETAINED DURING OPPN’S ‘DEMOCRACY IN DANGER’ PROTEST

New Delhi: Over 30 opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were detained on Friday as they took out a protest march from Parliament House, alleging that democracy is in “danger” and demanding a JPC probe into the Adani issue. Prominent leaders, including K C Venugopal, Adhir Chowdhury, K Suresh, Manickam Tagore, Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammed Javed, were stopped by the police and detained at Vijay Chowk here for violating prohibitory orders, the opposition said.

“Over 30 MPs from opposition parties had to be detained for violation of Section 144 (prohibitory orders),” a senior Delhi Police officer said. The Delhi Police said those detained have been taken to a nearby police station.

RAHUL DEFAMED PARLIAMENT AND JUDICIARY: YADAV

YECHURY SAYS BJP USING DEFAMATION TO TARGET OPPN

New Delhi (ANI): The Congress on Friday came down heavily at Centre over disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP, calling it a “strangulation of democracy” while exuding confidence that the disqualification will be revoked through a stay on his conviction by a higher court.

The party alleged that Rahul's disqualification is part of a “pattern” to stop him from speaking out against the Central govt and also an attempt to divert public attention from real issues. Gandhi was disqualified as a member of the Lower House earlier on Friday.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in the national capital, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi and senior leader Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the Centre over the disqualification of the former national party president.

“The issue before us is political, more than it is legal. It is a political issue because it signifies the systematic, re-

petitive emasculation of democratic institutions by the ruling party. It signifies the strangulation of democracy itself. We know that defamation is an exception to free speech, but over the last several years, we have had repeated examples of unthinkable assaults on freedom of speech, more importantly, freedom after speech.

We all know that Rahul Gandhi has been speaking fearlessly inside and outside Parliament,” Singhvi said.

Senior Congress leaders slam Rahul’s disqualification order

New Delhi (ANI): After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification of Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), party leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday took a dig at the order and said that he was stunned by the “rapidity” of the action and termed it as “politics with the gloves off”.

New Delhi: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday alleged that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had defamed India on foreign soil and insulted the country’s judicial system and the OBC community. The union minister targeted the Congress leader over his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case by a Surat court in connection with his “Modi surname” remarks case.

New Delhi: After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualified, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury in a tweet, said: “It’s condemnable that the BJP is now using the criminal defamation route to target opposition leaders and disqualify them as done with @RahulGandhi now. This comes on top of the gross misuse of ED/CBI against the opposition.”

BJP PRESIDENT NADDA SLAMS RAHUL GANDHI OVER HIS REMARKS ON MODI

New Delhi: BJP chief JP Nadda on Friday attacked Rahul Gandhi over his “Modis are thieves” remark and alleged that by comparing OBC communities to thieves, Gandhi has shown a “pathetic and casteist mindset”.

In a series of tweets, Nadda criticized Gandhi for his earlier remarks like “Chowkidar Chor Hai” and allegations of the Rafale scam. He further tweeted, “By comparing OBC communities to thieves, Rahul Gandhi has shown a pathetic and casteist mindset. However, his latest tirade is not surprising.”

OPPOSITION’S VOICE CAN’T BE SUPPRESSED: AAP

PROBES BY ED, CBI: 14 OPPN PARTIES IN SC FOR GUIDELINES

RaGa TO KHARGE

IF I TOUCH YOU, THEY SAY I’M WIPING MY NOSE ON YOUR BACK:

New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hit out at the media on Friday while helping party chief Mallikarjun Kharge walk down the stairs and said that “If I touch you, they say I’m wiping my nose on your back.” “If I touch you now, they say I’m wiping my nose on your back. Utter nonsense. Have you seen that?

That I am helping you over there, they’re saying that I’m wiping my nose on you,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was seen saying as he helped party chief Mallikarjun Kharge down the stairs. Rahul Gandhi and Kharge were coming out after attending the meeting of Congress MPs at the party office in the Parliament premises. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also seen with Rahul Gandhi.

IN THE COURTYARD

MERE MEMBERSHIP OF UNLAWFUL ORGANIZATION IS UAPA OFFENCE, RULES SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday overruled its 2011 judgments in Arup Bhuyan vs State of Assam, Indra Das vs State of Assam and State of Kerala vs Raneef which held that mere membership of a banned association is not sufficient to constitute an offence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 or the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, unless it is accompanied with some overt violent. A bench comprising Justices MR Shah, CT Ravikumar and Sanjay Karol also upheld Section 10(a) (i) of the UAPA which makes membership of an association, which has been declared to be unlawful, to be an offence.

DELHI HC SEEKS CHILD RIGHTS BODY’S RESPONSE ON PIL AGAINST RAHUL GANDHI

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on a plea filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with his tweet revealing the identity of the relatives of a minor who was raped and murdered in 2021. The Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta on Friday listed the matter for July 27, after issuing notice to the NCPCR. Earlier NCPCR counsel submitted that it wants to support and joint hand with the petitioner in the matter.

COURT RESERVES ORDER ON BAIL PLEA OF SISODIA

Tharoor tweeted, “I am stunned by this action and by its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy.”

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI, “They (BJP) tried all ways to disqualify him. They don’t want to keep those who are speaking the truth but we will con-

tinue to speak the truth. We’ll continue to demand JPC, If needed we’ll go to jail to save democracy.”

While Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani Maha Mega Scam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti.”

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha a dictatorial move and asserted that the BJP will not be able to suppress the voice of the opposition. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case for his alleged remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

New Delhi: 14 Opposition parties have filed petitions in the Supreme Court seeking guidelines for arrest, remand, and bail of persons in matters being probed by various agencies including the CBI and ED. They have sought from the court certain prospectively applicable guidelines governing the arrest, remand, and bail of persons in cases (which may or may not be punishable with imprisonment for above 7 years) not involving serious bodily harm (excluding homicide, rape, terrorism, etc).

Is Opposition’s ‘squabble’ part of a strategy or is it a real fight?

Sharat K Verma

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday said it will pronounce its order on former Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s bail plea on March 31 in the excise policy case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Special Judge M K Nagpal reserved his order on the Aam Aadmi Party leader’s plea seeking regular bail in the case after the CBI handed over a short note regarding its contention in the case.

The former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation last month.

New Delhi: In response to a question of Pradyut Bordoloi, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Centre on Friday said there is no provision to increase number of Assembly or Parliamentary constituencies in Assam. The MP asked for the details and reasons for the decision taken by Assam Govt to merge four districts just before the delimitation order. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju stated the delimitation exercise in the State shall be done as per the procedure laid down in section 8A of the Representation of People Act.

New Delhi: Are the Opposition parties fighting with each other under some strategy or is their fight genuine?

This is a million dollar question. Leaders of different parties are giving different answers to this question in informal conversations.

An informed leader working on the strategy of Opposition unity says that by the time elections come, all the parties will unite. He says that there is no use in creating unity now, on the contrary, this

could lead to a loss. If the Opposition unity is formed now and it is decided that the Opposition will fight the elections together with the Congress, then there will be a stampede among the leaders and

workers of all the parties and conflict will increase at the ground level. That’s why the parties are doing different politics right now.

Opposition parties are also thinking that if there is a message of

unity from now on, BJP will be on alert and its preparations will be done accordingly. Secondly, if the Opposition unity is seen forming then the BJP and the Central government will try to break that unity in one way or the other.

Many parties of Opposition are also worried that if they show more closeness to the Congress, then the Central agencies will be after them. However, it is the belief of the Opposition that if they all appear to be fighting among themselves, the BJP would be careless.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with Opposition MPs holds a “Democracy in Danger” banner during a protest march towards Rashtrapati Bhawan, at Parliament House in New Delhi, on Friday.

Sonia Gandhi and Congress leaders including Ambika Soni, P Chidambaram, KC Venugopal at a meeting under chairmanship of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, in New Delhi on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek Singhvi address media, in Delhi on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Rajya Sabha MPs of Opposition parties protest at the Parliament premises on Sunday. —FILE PHOTO

“No move to increase LS/ Vidhan Sabha seats in Assam”

TB will lose and India will win: Modi

Prime Minister says the government has taken a pledge to eliminate TB from the country by 2025

Varanasi (ANI): PM

Narendra Modi on Friday said Tuberculosis (TB) will lose and India and the world will win, adding that while the global target to end TB is 2030, India is working on eliminating it five years earlier, by 2025.

Inaugurating the One World TB Summit 2023 in Varanasi on Friday, Modi said that the India of today is known for achieving its goals and the govt has taken a pledge to eliminate TB from the country.PM Modi also launched TB Preventive Treatment (TPT), TB Free Panchayat Initiative, Family Centered Care Model for TB and India’s Annual TB Report 2023 during the event.

Mentioning India’s global role in the fight against TB, he said efforts made in this direction since 2014 should be known to the whole world today because it

is a new model in the global fight against TB.

“We had called upon the people of the country to make Nikshay Mitras join the TB-free India campaign. After this campaign, about 10 lakh TB patients were adopted by the common citizens of the country.

CRUCIAL READ

ED ATTACHES AMBIENCE TOWER WORTH OVER `252 CR IN MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

New Delhi: The ED on Friday said it has attached a multi-storeyed commercial complex, worth over Rs 252 crore, in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged bank fraud case against the Ambience Group. The immovable property is named Ambience Tower and it belongs to a company called Ambience Towers Pvt Ltd, a firm of the Ambience Group promoted by Raj Singh Gehlot, ED said in a statement. A provisional order, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, was issued by the ED to attach the commercial building worth Rs 252.17 crore.

BJP’S BISWA BANDHU SEN

ELECTED

TRIPURA ASSEMBLY SPEAKER

Agartala: Ruling BJP MLA Biswa Bandhu Sen was elected the Speaker of the Tripura assembly on Friday defeating opposition CPI-M-Congress joint candidate Gopal Chandra Roy. Septuagenarian Congress-turned-BJP leader, Sen secured 32 votes, while Roy, one of the three Congress MLAs, bagged 14 votes. The tribal-based Tipra Motha Party (TMP), which has 13 members in the assembly, walked out from the house just before the starting of the Speaker’s election expressing their displeasure over the sitting arrangements in the house. The TMP supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman earlier promised to support the CPI-MCongress joint candidate and the party’s legislature party leader Animesh Debbarma, who is also the incumbent leader of the opposition, was one of the proposers in Roy’s nomination paper.

3.9 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE FELT IN MANIPUR, NO DAMAGE REPORTED: NCS

Imphal: A mild intensity earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter Scale hit parts of Manipur on Friday, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said. The NCS said that the tremor hit Manipur’s Moirang and adjoining areas on Friday morning. The quake struck at a depth of 51 km from the surface. There was no immediate report of any casualty or damage to property. Successive earthquakes in the mountainous northeastern states, especially Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, have the authorities worried and having to make structure quakes protective.

One IAS returns to UP from Centre, one goes back to C’garh

“FULFILLING RESOLUTION OF GLOBAL GOOD WITH ONE WORLD TB SUMMIT”

Varanasi: On ‘World TB Day’ PM Narendra Modi put forward India’s vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ and praised the nation for fulfilling another resolution of Global Good by organizing ‘One World TB Summit’ at Rudrakash Convention Centre in Varanasi on Friday. “It is a matter of happiness that this summit is happening in Kashi. Some time ago, India also took the initiative to take forward the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ and now through ‘One World TB Summit’ India is fulfilling another resolution of Global Good”, said PM as he launched various initiatives to enhance countries’ fight against TB.

“INDIA WORKING TO END TB 5 YRS AHEAD OF GLOBAL TARGET”

PM MODI LAUNCHES INITIATIVES TO ELIMINATE TB

Children aged 10-12 years are also taking forward the fight against TB by becoming Nikshay Mitra. Many children have broken their piggy banks and adopted TB patients. This financial support of Nikshay Mitras for TB patients has reached above Rs 1000

crore,” he said. PM Modi also said a total of 75 lakh TB patients have benefitted from the Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) of Rs 2000 crore sent to their accounts since the launch of the scheme by the Central government in 2018.

Varanasi: Over the last nine years, public participation through initiatives like ‘Ni-kshay Mitra’ has played a very important role in the fight against tuberculosis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday. The Prime Minister said this after launching TB-Mukt Panchayat initiative, the official pan-India rollout of a shorter preventive treatment and family-centric care model for TB and release of India’s Annual TB Report 2023.

Varanasi: India’s ideology of “Vasudev Kutumbkam” is giving the modern world an integrated vision and solutions, PM Narendra Modi said on Friday as he launched a series of initiatives to eliminate tuberculosis. Addressing the ‘One World TB Summit’ on World TB Day, he said the country is working to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025 as against the global target of 2030. “India’s image reflects in its ideology of ‘Vasudev Kutumbkam’ (whole world one family).

Dr Ahtesham Siddiqui

Lucknow: IAS MKS

Sundaram, a UP cadre

IAS who was currently posted on deputation, has returned to UP after completing his tenure, while Shruti Singh, an IAS of Chhattisgarh cadre, currently posted in UP, has not got the extension of service posted as Secretary, Director General of Medical Education and Training.

The UP govt has relieved 2006 batch IAS Shruti Singh from Uttar Pradesh to go to her original cadre Chhattisgarh,

Shah gifts `1,400 cr projects to K’taka

Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Amit Shah on Friday laid the foundation stone of ‘Sahakar Samridhi Soudha’ and inaugurated various development works of Karnataka Department of Cooperation to the tune of Rs 1,400 crore here.

Sahakar Samridhi Soudha, a market for flower growers at a cost of Rs 11 crore in Binnipet APMC, Multi-level car parking in Yeshwantpura APMC at a cost of

Rs 8 crore are being constructed, he said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former

CM BS Yediyurappa, and state Cooperation Minister ST Somashekhar were also present.

MEA preparing draft Emigration Bill: Minister in LS

New Delhi (ANI): Amritpal Singh, head of proKhalistani outfit Waris Punjab De is suspected to have left for Delhi, said police sources.

The Punjab Police expressed doubts about Amritpal entering the Delhi border using any vehicle other than a bus. Following the input, Delhi Police went on alert mode and are trying to track Amritpal’s movements. An alert has also been issued in Dehradun, Haridwar, and Udhamsinghnagar districts of the Uttarakhand as a precaution in view of the possibility Amritpal Singh en-

tering the state.

U’khand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar has said this. Meanwhile, Amritpal and his aide Papalpreet were seen in Haryana Roadways bus on March 20. The police are questioning driver of the bus.

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is preparing a draft Emigration Bill after extensive consultation with all the concerned stakeholders, Minister of State (External Affairs), V Muraleedharan, said in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Friday. “The govt is conscious of the imperative need for putting in place an enabling framework to address migration related issues. Towards this end, the MEA is preparing a draft Emigration Bill after extensive consultation with all the concerned stakeholders,” the reply read.

NCB DESTROYS 9,200 KG NARCOTICS

New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau on Friday destroyed more than 9,200 kg narcotic substances worth several thousand crore Rupees. The Narcotics substance were consigned to flames in different incinrator points in several states. Home Minister Amit Shah also virtually joined from Bengaluru where he was chairing the NCB’s Regional Conference on Drug Trafficking & National Security for Southern States and Union Territories.

SHAH VISITS K’TAKA EX-CM YEDIYURAPPA

Bengaluru: Union HM Amit Shah met with the former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa at his residence in Bengaluru on Friday. Shah was accompanied by Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, BJP National General Secretary and Chikkamagaluru MLA, CT Ravi, State minister Govind Muktappa Karjol, MP Arun Singh, and MLA Nalin Kumar Kateel. Shah arrived at Bengaluru this morning and was received by CM Bommai at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Airport in Bengaluru.

A RARE SIGHT!

whereas, sources claim that Shruti Singh wanted to stay more in UP. Sundaram had gone to Tamil Nadu on deputation to the Central Department of Commerce on July 7, 2015. After the completion of his deputation period in Tamil Nadu, he has returned and joined the appointment department of Uttar Pradesh.

Highly placed sources claim that soon a transfer list of IAS officers will fill the vacant post of IAS Shruti Singh, as well as MKS Sundaram.

Missile misfired during Army exercise in Jaisalmer

The shell of missile that was misfired in Jaisalmer.

Suryaveer Singh Tanwar

Jaisalmer: A missile was misfired during a firing exercise by Indian Army in Jaisalmer. The annual exercise of a unit was going o at Pokran field firing range when yhe incident occurred. However, no loss of life or property was reported.

“A case of Missile misfire was reported while a unit was undertaking its annual field firing today, “ a defence spokesperson said. He said that the missile detonated safely. However, the debris fell in the adjoining fields.

“No damage rendered to any personnel and property. Issue is being investigated, “ he added

Will Kanhaiya Kumar be useful for the Congress party in Delhi?

Mahesh Sharma

New Delhi: A big plan is being made in the Congress regarding its leader Kanhaiya Kumar. It is being told that he can be made the President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress or the National President of Youth Congress. Youth Congress President BV Srinivas is 42 years old and has been working as the President for almost four years. That’s why there has to be a new president in his place. Srini-

vas may find a place in Mallikarjun Kharge’s central team. Looking at his activeness and his popularity, he can be made the general secretary in charge of a state. But many Congress leaders are of the view that making Kanhaiya Kumar the Youth Congress president in his place will not be very effective. Kanhaiya Kumar can be more effective as state president in Delhi.

Keep in mind that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been trying to get

the migrant votes in Delhi for the last several years, but has not been successful. Manoj Tiwari, a resident of Bihar, and Satish Upadhyay of Uttar Pradesh were made the state president of Delhi by the BJP. Now after getting tired, BJP has returned to its old Punjabi and Vaish politics and has made Virendra Sachdeva the working president. In this sense too, there is an opportunity for the Congress to hand over the command of the party to a person

from Purvanchal. Kanhaiya fits this scale. He is from Bihar, has lived in Delhi and studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), is a

good orator and has taken organizational training while living in the Communist Party. That’s why he can be useful to the Congress.

After all, Sheila Dikshit from Uttar Pradesh had helped the Congress gain a foothold in Delhi and because of her the vote of Purvanchal was associated with the Congress. Whether Kanhaiya Kumar will be able to do exactly that or not, it cannot be said, but it is sure that if the Congress gives him the charge of the Delhi Pradesh, he will make an impact in the migrant vote. With this, the momentum for the Congress can also be created.

The difficulty is that

he is not a traditional Congressman like Sheila Dikshit and because of this the big leaders of the Delhi Pradesh Congress will find it difficult to work with him.

In Delhi, the Congress has few young leaders left and most of the leaders are old. From Jaiprakash Agarwal in charge of Madhya Pradesh to Ajay Maken and from Mangatram Singhal, Kiran Walia to Sandeep Dixit, all have been MPs, MLAs and ministers. Kanhaiya, on the other hand, has

contested elections only once. Old leaders will feel uncomfortable working with him. That’s why lobbying has started that he is young so he should be made the President of Youth Congress. Delhi Pradesh Congress leaders are also arguing that the migrant vote has gone towards the Aam Aadmi Party and considering the schemes launched by the AAP government, it will be difficult to bring the migrant vote back to the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the ‘One World TB Summit’ at Rudrakash Convention Centre, in Varanasi, on Friday. —PHOTO BY PTI

“Amritpal suspected to have left for Delhi”

Planet Venus hides behind the Moon. First India lensman SANTOSH SHARMA captured this sight in Jaipur, on Friday.

Amit Shah at Sahakar Samriddhi Soudha in Bengaluru, on Friday. Former CM BS Yediyurappa also seen. —PHOTO BY PTI

Kanhaiya Kumar

Amritpal Singh

IAS MKS Sundaram IAS Shruti Singh

INDIGO TO HAVE 350 AIRCRAFT IN ITS FLEET NEXT FISCAL

TAX BENEFITS FOR DEBT MUTUAL FUNDS

LS passes Finance Bill with 64 amendments

Mumbai: No-frills airline

IndiGo is expecting to fly

100-million passengers and is planning to have 350 aircraft in its fleet in the next fiscal. At the same time, the airline is looking to end the current fiscal with around 306 planes in the fleet with the passenger volume estimated at over 85 million. The number of destinations is expected to go up to 115, with around 10-15 destinations likely to be added in the network during the year, as against 104 in FY23, as per the presentation. —PTI

GOLD CLIMBS `70 PER 10 GM; SILVER

JUMPS `520/KG

New Delhi (PTI): The Lok Sabha on Friday approved The Finance Bill 2023 with 64 official amendments including providing tax relief to some taxpayers opting for new tax regime, and removing long-term tax benefit for debt mutual funds to bring them at par with other interest earning instruments.

In a relief to taxpayers opting for deductions and exemption-free new tax regime, individuals earning marginally higher income than no-tax ceiling of ` 7 lakh will continue to pay nil tax.

Under the new tax regime with effect from April 1, if a taxpayer has an annual income of ` 7 lakh s/ he pays no tax. But if s/he has income of ` 7,00,100 s/ he pays tax of `25,010.

Thus an additional income of `100 leads to tax of ` 25,010. The amendment provides that the tax payable should not be more

New Delhi: Gold price climbed `70 to `59,450 per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday amid gains in prices of precious metal internationally. The yellow metal had closed at `59,380 per 10 grams in the previous trade. Silver also jumped `520 to `70,500 per kilogramme. “Spot gold prices in the Delhi markets traded at `59,450 per 10 grams, up Rs 70 per 10 grams,” Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities, said. —PTI

MERCEDES-BENZ

PLANS TO LAUNCH

FOUR EVs IN INDIA

TOP TALKING POINTS

z Under the new tax regime with effect from April 1, if a taxpayer has an annual income of `7 lakh s/he pays no tax. But if s/he has income of `7,00,100 s/he pays tax of `25,010

than the income that exceeds `7 lakh. This means, an individual having income up to ` 7,27,700 could stand to benefit from this

Govt to introduce GPS-based toll system: Gadkari

New Delhi (PTI): The government will introduce new technologies including GPS-based toll collection systems in the next 6 months to replace existing highway toll plazas in the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.

The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and charging motorists for the exact distance travelled on the highways, Gadkari said.

Gadkari further said state- owned NHAI's toll revenue is currently `40,000 crore and it is going to soar to ` 1.40 lakh crore 2-3 years.

z The Finance Bill, which includes tax proposals for the fiscal year beginning April 1, was passed without a discussion in parliament

z Other amendments include raising the tax rate on royalty and fee for technical services from 10% to 20%

marginal relief.

Other amendments include raising the tax rate on royalty and fee for technical services from 10% to 20%.

Markets fall nearly 1% amid weak trend

New Delhi: German luxury carmaker MercedesBenz plans to launch four new electric vehicles in India in the next 8-12 months to accelerate its electric mobility drive, Mercedes-Benz AG Head of Region Overseas Matthias Luehrs said. The company expects 25% of its total sales in India to come from electric vehicles in India by 2027.

“We are very happy with the development of our EVs (electric vehicles) here in the Indian market with (models such as) the EQS and the EQB. We’ll have four more vehicles coming in,” Luehrs told reporters. —PTI

RESERVE BANK’S

MPC TO MEET SIX TIMES NEXT FISCAL

New Delhi (PTI): Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that if India can use recently discovered reserve of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir, it can become world's number one automobile manufacturer in electric vehicle segment.

The road, transport and highway minister said there is a need to encourage public transport, and electric buses are the future. Lithium is a crucial element in producing batteries that power electric vehicles.

“Every year, we import 1,200 tonnes of lithium.

“Now, in Jammu and Kashmir, we got lithium. (If) we can use this lithium

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

z The road, transport and highway minister said there is a need to encourage public transport, and electric buses are the future

z Lithium is a crucial element in producing batteries that power electric vehicles

z Presently India’s automobile industry is worth `7.5 L cr

ion, we will be the number one automobile manufacturing country in the world,” he said. India has beaten Japan to become the third largest vehicle market in 2022 after China and the USA.

3 TIMES GLOBAL AVERAGE

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet six times in the next financial year. The RBI rate setting panel will be holding its first meeting of the next fiscal from April 3 to April 6, the central bank said in a statement. The RBI Governor announces the bi-monthly monetary policy after MPC’s deliberations on the prevailing domestic and economic situations. The meetings are held over three days. —PTI

The ministry of road transport and highways is conducting a pilot project of automatic number plate recognition system (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping the vehicles.

Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty buckled under selling pressure for the second straight session to settle nearly 1% lower on Friday as investors pared exposure to the metal, energy and realty stocks amid a bearish trend in Asian and European markets.

In a volatile trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 398.18 points or 0.69% to finish at 57,527.10. During the day, it went lower by 502.3 points or 0.86% to 57,422.98. The broader NSE Nifty fell 131.85 points or 0.77% to end at 16,945.05.

Bajaj Finserv was the biggest loser among the Sensex constituents, followed by Bajaj Finance, Tata Steel, Reliance Indus-

` FALLS 24 PAISE TO CLOSE AT 82.44 AGAINST US DOLLAR

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated by 24 paise to close at 82.44 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened lower by 12 paise at 82.32 as the US dollar. During intra-day trade, the rupee touched a high of 82.20 and a low of 82.49 against the greenback. The domestic unit finally settled at 82.44 against the American currency, 24 paise lower against its previous close.

tries, HCL Tech, SBI, Larsen & Toubro and Mahindra & Mahindra, Axis Bank and Titan. On the other hand, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Power Grid, Asian Paints were the gainers.

Airtel’s 5G services live in 500 Indian cities

New Delhi (PTI): Telecom operator Bharti Airtel overtook Reliance Jio in 5G roll-out with the expansion of the network to additional 235 cities, taking its total reach to 500 cities.

Reliance Jio has so far announced the expansion of its ultra high-speed fifth generation (5G) network to 406 cities.

“Bharti Airtel...Ultra-

fast 5G service is available to customers in 500 cities in the country. Airtel added 235 cities to its network, making it one of the largest roll-outs to date,” the company said in a statement.

Airtel said that it is adding 30-40 cities on its 5G network daily.

“Airtel was the first to offer 5G services in October 2022, and today's mega

India expects exports of $32 bn to UAE this year: Official

New Delhi (PTI): India's exports to the UAE are expected to touch an 'all-time high' of $32 billion by the end of this fiscal due to the benefits of free trade agreement between the countries, an official said.

The two countries also plan to integrate their customs and logistics portals for real-time tracking of shipments for priority of entry in ports, as part of a review of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

"India's exports (to the UAE) are around $28.3 billion. We are hopeful to touch an all-time high of

$32 billion exports this year," the government official said.

India and the UAE are working on customs facilitation wherein their logistics and customs portals would get integrated and help in real-time data exchange and tracking of ships for priority of entry in ports.

15% OF PILOTS IN INDIA ARE FEMALES

Mumbai (PTI): As much as 15% of pilots in India are females, which is almost three times the global average of 5%, according to an official release.

However, currently, there is no special programme in the government to encourage pilot training for females and backward classes including SCs/STs, it said. Also, there are currently 67 expat pilots working with various air operators in the country, it said.

As per data received, a total of 244 pilots have been recruited in 2021, the release noted and that indus-

try estimates suggest that the country may require 1,000 pilots per annum over the next five years.

The annual requirement of commercial pilots depends upon various factors such as financial health of

TOP TALKING POINTS

z As much as 15% of pilots in India are women, which is almost three times the global average of 5%

z However, currently, there is no special programme in the government to encourage pilot training for women and backward classes including Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes

an airline, airline expansion plan and growth in the aviation sector, the release stated.

launch is our promise to connect every Airtel customer in the country with ultra-fast Airtel 5G Plus.

OTHER STORIES

We have already covered 500 cities and are adding 30 to 40 cities every single day. By September of 2023, we expect to expand our 5G footprint to all of urban India,” Bharti Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon said. According to industry players, India has become the fastest country in the world to roll-out 5G networks.

MSI TARGETS SALES VIA NEXA OUTLETS TO OVERTAKE VOLUMES OF HYUNDAI,

TaMo BY NEXT YEAR

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India is targeting for its premium vehicles sold through the Nexa retail outlets to be more than the respective overall sales of Hyundai and Tata Motors by next year, according to Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Shashank Srivastava. The Nexa retail chain, started in 2015 to sell Maruti Suzuki’s premium vehicles, has crossed the cumulative sales milestone of 20 lakh units. It currently sells models such as Baleno, Ignis, Ciaz, XL6 and Grand Vitara. Upcoming SUVs Fronx and Jimny will also be sold through the chain. —PTI

AKASA AIR TO HIRE NEARLY 1,000 PEOPLE

BY MAR 2024: CEO

New Delhi: Akasa Air plans to hire nearly 1,000 people and take the total staff strength to more than 3,000 by the end of March 2024 as the airline continues to expand its fleet as well as routes, according to its chief Vinay Dube. The airline, which took to the skies a little over seven months ago, also plans to start international operations by the end of this year, and the possible overseas destinations are still in the process of being finalised. The airline will place a “threedigit aircraft order” by the end of this year. —PTI

INDIA’S FOREX KITTY JUMPS BY $12.8 BILLION TO $572.8 BN

New Delhi: India’s forex kitty rose by $12.798 billion to $572.801 billion in the week ended March 17, the Reserve Bank said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the reserves had dropped by $2.39 billion to a three-month low of $560.003 billion. It can be noted that in October 2021, the country’s forex kitty had reached an all-time high of $645 billion. For the week ended March 17, the foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, increased by $10.485 billion to $505.348 billion. —PTI

CIL MAKING ALL EFFORTS TO SUPPLY HIGHER QUANTITIES OF COAL TO NON-REGULATED SECTOR

New Delhi: State-owned CIL on Friday said it is making all efforts to supply higher quantities of coal to the non-regulated sector (NRS) without affecting supplies to the power sector, through increased production. The statement comes days after the maharatna firm stated that it is gearing up to meet the demand of coal from the power sector amid early onset of summer and a pick up in the industrial demand for electricity. Stepping up on supplies, Coal India Ltd (CIL) is poised to post 16.6% growth in coal despatch to its non-regulated sector customers in the fourth quarter of the ongoing fiscal, compared to the preceding quarter. —PTI

‘India can become No 1 EV manufacturer’

Centre has brought down level of politics, says Ashok Chavan

First India Bureau

Aurangabad: Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Ashok Chavan said by disqualifying party leader Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member, the BJP-led Central government has brought down the level of politics. Chavan alleged the Centre had taken such an action because it does not want people to raise their voices and speak against it.

Gandhi has been disqualified as a Lok Sabha member after a court in Gujarat’s Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case and sentenced him to two years imprisonment.

The court has granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

“By disqualifying Rahul Gandhi as a member of Parliament, the central government has brought down the level of politics,” the former chief minister tweeted.

Whole situation is frustrating, he said, adding that he condemns move that has strangled democracy. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve in a tweet said the action against Gandhi makes the Central government’s intentions clear.

Asha Bhosale gets Maha Bhushan award

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Legendary singer Asha Bhosale on Friday was conferred the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan award for her contribution to the field of art and culture. The award, for the year 2021, was presented to her at a function at the Gateway of India. She was also presented with a cash prize of Rs25 lakh, a citation, and a memento.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hailed Bhosale as the pride of Maharashtra and said her illustrious musical journey was an inspiration for each and every citizen.

The Maharashtra Bhushan award was instituted when the Shivsena- BJP alliance came to power in 1995. It was initially awarded to personalities in the fields of Literature, Sports, and Science, before being expanded to include those from Social Work, Journalism, Public Administration, and Health Services.

BJP workers stage protest against RaGa

‘Power of Adani’s friends cannot stop Rahul Gandhi’

Rahul Gandhi disqualified: Congress stages protests, shout slogans in Nagpur

First India Bureau

Nagpur: The Congress protested in Nagpur on the disqualification of its leader Rahul Gandhi as Lok Sabha MP on Friday. Congress workers shouted slogans against the “dictatorship” of the Union government and burnt an effigy of

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Medical Square here.

Gandhi, representing Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, was on Friday disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat.

Gandhi was on

Thursday sentenced to two years in jail in a criminal defamation over his “Modi surname” remarks at a 2019 poll rally in Karnataka. However, the Surat court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

First India Bureau Nagpur: Former Maharashtra minister Yashomati Thakur on Friday said the “power of Adani’s friends” cannot stop Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. She was reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a Lok Sabha member following his conviction in a criminal defamation case. The Narendra Modi government got Gandhi’s parliamentary term “cancelled” using the force of dictatorship, Thakur, a Congress leader, said in a release here. Rahul Gandhi was the voice of the people and asking questions to the Modi government, she said. “Even the power of Adani’s friends will not be able to stop Rahul Gandhi now, Rahul is the voice of the people,” Thakur added. “Friends of Adani have been in a panic ever since Hindenburg Research released its report,” she said.

PMC announces ` 9,515-crore budget

First India Bureau Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra announced a Rs9,515-crore budget for the financial year 2023 24, with no hike in property taxes and allocating bigger chunks for water and road infrastructure. The budget was an-

nounced by PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar, who has been appointed the administrator as the tenure of the corporators ended last year and fresh elections are due since then.

Compared to last year’s budget, Rs923 crore has been added to the overall outlay this

man stabs 3 to death

First India Bureau Mumbai: A 54-year-old man allegedly stabbed three neighbours to death at a residential building in south Mumbai on Friday, police said. Two others were injured in the attack and the condition of one of them was serious, they said. Earlier, a senior police official had put the death toll at four.

The grisly incident took place around 3.30 pm at Parvati Mansion on Grant Road, an official said, adding that the accused, identified as Chetan Gala, was soon arrested.

His wife and children had left him two months ago, and he suspected that his neighbours had instigated them, the official said. He had been mentally

disturbed ever since, and on Friday, upon spotting his neighbours, he went to his house, picked up a knife and allegedly attacked five persons from neighbouring families.

The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Girgaum and civic-run Nair hospital where Jayendra Mistry (77), his wife Ilaben Mistry (70) and Jenil Brahmbhatt (18) died during treatment, the official said.

Prakash Waghmare (53), a house help, and Snehal Brahmbhatt (44) were undergoing treatment. The condition of Snehal Brahmbhatt was said to be critical.

time, PMC said in a statement. As per this year’s budget, Rs1,321 crore has been allocated to improve the water supply in Pune, which had a population of about 35 lakh as per the 2011 Census, while Rs992 crore has been earmarked for roads. The budget has also proposed eight new

flyovers. Sewage treatment, waste management and health infrastructure are other focus areas of the budget, said the statement. New projects like hawkers’ parks for street vendors, e-vehicle charging infrastructure have been announced.

Pune (PTI): Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged questionable remarks and asserted that the party will not tolerate any ill words about the country and prime minister.

Jagdish Mulik, the BJP’s Pune city unit president, and other party leaders and workers staged the protest at Goodluck Chowk.

“Rahul Gandhi talks ill about Veer Savarkar and uses inappropriate words for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and when he travels out of the country, he talks ill about country. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour on anyone’s part,” Mulik said.

The BJP leader further demanded that Gandhi must apologise, as he had not only insulted Prime Minister Modi but also the people of the country

Threat calls: Cops seize mobile phones, sim cards

Nagpur (PTI): The Nagpur police have recovered two mobile phones and as many sim cards from a jail in Karnataka’s Belagavi, days after a person made threat calls to Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s office here identifying himself as a jail inmate, an official said on Friday.

On March 21, three calls were made to the BJP leader’s public relations office in Nagpur.

The caller, who identified himself as one Jayesh Pujari, alias Jayesh Kantha, demanded Rs 10 crore and threatened to harm the minister if the money was not paid.

As part of their investigation, the local police with the help of their Belagavi counterparts searched the premises of Hindalga Central Jail in the Kar-

nataka city where a man named Jayesh Pujari is serving a life sentence, said Nagpur police chief Amitesh Kumar.

During the search, two mobile phones and two sim cards were recovered from the jail premises, he said.

The official said they will seek Pujari’s remand for his custodial interrogation as his name had also been used to make similar calls to the minister’s office demanding Rs 100 crore in January.

Crime more rampant than development, says Ajit Pawar

First India Bureau Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Friday attacked the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra and said crime was more rampant in its rule than development.

Initiating a debate in the Assembly on the Opposition sponsored lastweek resolution on the state’s law and order, Pawar, who is the Leader of Opposition, said the “double engine” government was making compromises to stay in power.

The Bharatiya Janata Party refers to governments of the party or its allies in the states as “double engine” dispensations, meaning development was being carried out through efforts of the respective state

as well as the Centre.

Pawar said farmers were distressed due to natural calamities and lack of minimum support price for crops, while unemployment and crime, especially against women, were on the rise, but the government was busy pressuring and harassing political rivals.

On pretext of “love jihad”, there is an attempt to vitiate the law and order situation in the state,

NCP leader alleged. “Love jihad” is a term used by right-wing outfits to allege Muslim men were converting Hindu women by luring them into marriages.

Independent MLA

Ravi Rana said the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government had made a mockery of law and order, while the current Home department under Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was working efficiently.

HIGH-RISE FLAT OWNERS WILL SOON GET REAL-TIME FIRE SAFETY ALERTS

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The state government on Thursday amended the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act to prevent fire related incidents in high-rises with an IoTbased system. This new system will alert flat owners on their mobile devices if fire safety guidelines fail. Fire safety parameters include water tankers, sprinklers, pumps, fire extinguish-

ers, alarms, manual call-points etc. The system has to be installed compulsorily to ensure real time monitoring and quick actions to keep building fire-proof all the time, which are critical in preventing blazes in high-rise buildings. The IoT-based sensors will be designed to

maintain building fire resistance and ensure real-time monitoring and speedy repairs in high-rises, (apartments that are 22-storey and above).

Moreover, for buildings taller than 22 floors in the city, the measure mandates the presence of a fire safety officer and a supervisor.

With the amendment in Fire Safety Act, the buildings will have to regularly conduct audits for structures with more than 10-storey every two years. If any violations of the Act’s requirements are found, offenders could face fines of up to Rs1 lakh. The bill also includes changes in the height limitation for

Mumbai. Parking facilities can now be erected up to 32-storey high, an increase from the current limit of 14-storey. Educational institutions can raise their building height to a maximum of 14 storeys, an increase from the previous 9. Whereas the height limit for warehouses is suggested to be raised to seven-storey from four.

Additionally, to prevent incidents in public complexes, hotels, hospitals, and other places too similar IoT-based fire safety systems should be installed. The amendment was put forth by Uday Samant, the Industries Minister and has support from both the ruling and opposition parties.

This new system will alert flat owners on their mobile devices if fire safety guidelines fail

‘Mentally disturbed’

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches Surat District Court. —FILE PHOTO

Ajit Pawar said farmers were distressed due to natural calamities.

Its no longer enough for us to have a job that sustains us, we all search for fulfillment, challenge-for meaning in our lives.

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

The magnificent Fashion Connect presented by First India and Bharat24- Vision of New India held at Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai on March 19. City First highlights the mind-boggling and astounding collection of the renowned designer Aishwarya showcased at the extravagant show!

COMPLIMENTING FLAWLESS BEAUTY

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, Aishwarya for her ravishing 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 Aishwarya mesmerised the audience with her stylish yet comfortable collection, Bloom which is part of a luxury brand of women’s western wear, Escape that has been blooming across India for the past five years. The spring-summer collection was inspired by

the freshness of flow ers and the softness of petals that come alive during the season. A stunning array of dayto-night clothing that captures the freshness of the season and fea tures cotton wear that is soft and light, perfect for those warmer days. Talking about her ex quisite brand and col lection Aishwarya said, “The word ‘Es cape’ for us means a zone where you feel the most confident and true to your self. Everyone has an Escape zone, be it, having a cup of tea in the morning or taking a dance class. You feel yourself and are not judged by the outside world. At Escape, we aim at making clothes which make you feel confident and true to yourself. For our springsummer collection, Bloom, we were inspired by the delicate petals of the flowers which are soft and comfort ing on the skin and which reflect through our de signs. We were also inspired by the colour palette of the spring which adds to our ex isting colour palette.”

—PHOTOS

BY SANTOSH SHARMA

KAVITA CHAUHAN cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Alexandra, Irene, Sophie and Irena

CLOCKWISE: Alina, Kristine, Sophie, Nancy and Irene

Marie

Designer Aishwarya from Escape with the models showcasing her collection Bloom

FACEOFTHEDAY

JUST 15 MINUTES OF SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK CAN BOOST YOUR HEALTH

in immune function, including fewer colds, flu, warts, and verrucae.

LESS SOCIAL MEDIA, MORE SLEEP

They also showed a 50 per cent improvement in sleep quality, and 30 per cent fewer depressive symptoms.

in many ways -- including benefits for their physical health and psychological well-being," said Professor Phil Reed, from Swansea University's School of Psychology.

Spending less time on social media can improve your overall health and cial media use by 15 minutes a day can sig nificantly improve gen eral health and immune function and reduce levels of loneliness and depression, suggests new research.

LESS SOCIAL MEDIA, MORE IMMUNITY

The study, pub lished in the nal of Technology in Behavior Science, showed that the people who re duced their so cial media use had an average 15 per cent im provement

LESS SOCIAL MEDIA, BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

"These data demonstrate that, when people reduce their social

"It remains to be established whether the relationship between social media use and health factors is a direct one, or whether changes in wellbeing variables, such as depression, or other factors, such as an increase in physical activity, mediate it," he added. Social media platforms are designed to be addictive and are associated with anxiety, depression, and even physical ailments.

LET'S END SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION TO STAY HEALTHY

Another study published by the American Psychological Association showed that teenagers and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50 per cent for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance.

SOURCE: https://www.medindia.net/news/just-15-minutes-of-social-mediabreak-can-boost-your-health-heres-how-210893-1.htm

YOUR DAY

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

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.

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.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV 23 - DEC 22

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.

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.

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. Owning a house is indicated for some.

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.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

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.

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

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, just to meet your near and dear ones.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ADELINE DORCAS cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

POOJA HEGDE'S lip-smacking recipe

ooja Hegde is just not a talented actress but also a good chef too. Yes, she loves cooking and often shares glimpses on her Instagram. Well, now, we got our hands on her special Tuscan chicken recipe and you should definitely try it out.

The chicken recipe of Pooja is lipsmacking and makes for a happy Sunday meal as well.

If you want to try a new dish this Sunday for your lunch, here's the most delicious Tuscan chicken recipe by chef Pooja Hegde. She makes a delicious Tuscan chicken dish with a creamy blend of garlic and cheese and it goes perfectly with Roti or Rice as well. Pooja Hegde loves spending time at home, cooking, reading books, and enjoying her space when not shooting on the sets. During the lockdown, just like most of us, she channeled her inner chef and tried to cook many recipes. Even the Tuscan chicken, she made during the lockdown in July 2020. She shared a video of herself serving mushroom rice and Tuscan chicken to her family. She was all smiles as her friend calls her, "Chef Pooj."

NICK TEASES PRIYANKA

they shower love on one another or when they twin for events.

Recently, Nick Jonas shared a goofy video as he jokingly complains about his wife Priyanka Chopra making him wait so much. To this Priyanka Chopra shared an adorable reaction.

Nick Jonas shared an

Instagram reel as the singer can be seen waiting for someone while checking his watch constantly and getting impatient. Priyanka Chopra also re-shared the video clip on her Instagram story and wrote, ‘Indian stretchable time is real. #IST #itiswhatitis’ along with adding a laughing emoji.

VIRUSHKA LOOK SUPER CUTE TOGETHER

ast night multiple celebrities were photographed at an event in Mumbai and Vamika Kohli's parents ensured that royalty and glamour filled the air.

The Sultan actress's breathtaking look was styled by Priyanka Kapadia Badani and assisted

with Humaira Lakdawala in an Assertion gown by Australian-based fashion designer Toni Maticevski. While Virat wore a very-

KAREENA'S cool statement

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan are hands down, one of the most popular and adored couples in Bollywood. The two fell in love with each other on the sets of the 2008 film Tashan and tied the knot in 2012. Now, in a recent interview, Kareena Kapoor Khan said that she married Saif Ali Khan at a time when no other actresses were getting married. She added that while it’s cool for actresses to be married and working now, that wasn’t the case earlier.

Kareena said that she has always done things she loves and believes in.

Kareena was last seen in Laal Singh Chaddha, co-starring Aamir Khan. She has some exciting projects lined up including Rhea Kapoor’s The Crew, alongside Tabu and Kriti Sanon. She will also make her OTT debut with Sujoy Ghosh’s thriller based on the book The Devotion Of Suspect X. She will also be seen in Hansal Mehta’s murder mystery.

well fitted one from The Maroon Suit. A custom navy-hued looks comfortable and spot-on. The dapper man rocked his double-breasted blazer and straight-fit trousers with a shirt from Canali. All were styled by Edward Lalrempuia and his team

Most perfect face in the world

Amber Heard apparently has the most perfect face in the world and this is backed by science.

Beauty is of course, subjective, and lies in the eyes of the beholder. However, in scientific notions, beauty is all about symmetry and proportionality.

Recently, Dr De Silva revealed that he used a face

mapping technology to discover who has the most perfect face in the world, as per the ‘Greek Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi’, aka the golden ratio: 1.618.

After analyzing the perfect proportions of facial features with 12 key points of the face including eyes, nose, lips and chin, De Silva found that Amber Heard’s face matched the ‘Greek Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi’ with a 91.85 percent accuracy.

Jennie Kim

BSeung Yoon’s post...

Pooja Hegde

Amber Heard

Nick’s post...

Kareena Kapoor Khan

Priyanka Chopra

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma

Sushmita Sen is back at work!

Sushmita Sen is back at work with the upcoming season of her popular web series Aarya and the transgenderthemed movie Taali. Late on Thursday night, as she began dubbing for Taali, the actor was seen at a dubbing studio. She posed gleefully for the photographers outside the studio.

Sushmita plays the title character in Taali, a biography of the transgender lady Gauri Sawant. The initial

poster featured Sushmita clapping while wearing a large maroon bindi on her forehead.

Sushmita recently experienced a heart attack and underwent stent placement. Fol-

lowing her rehabilitation, she earlier this month walked the runway at a fashion week. The actress was beaming as she walked the ramp while wearing a gorgeous yellow lehenga.

After her ramp walk, when a photographer called Sushmita “strong” for returning to work after a heart at

Rajkummar Rao on Bheed

among others. Rajkummar spoke exclusively to Ashish Tiwari of First India in an exclusive interview.

One of the most shattering sights of the Covid-19 pandemic was the flood of people suddenly rendered rudderless by the announcement of one of the most stringent lockdowns in the world. Anubhav Sinha’s ‘Bheed’, shot in greyed-out B&W, is a grim and necessary reminder of this recent tragedy. The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar and Dia Mirza

Speaking on taking up such character-based roles Rao shared, “When you get a good story with a challenging character, it will open up doors for you to learn new things so I always tend on taking up such roles. But alongside I also focus on movies like Stree and Guns and Gulabs to explore all avenues of acting.”

On why did he say yes to Bheed he shared, “I am a fan of Anubhav Sinha when he shared the story of Bheed with me I was intrigued with the story so it was important to tell this to the people. The cherry on the cake was the super-talented cast that I got to work with.”

Sharing his camaraderie with his co-stars he shared, “From Pankaj Ji, I have learned

Amitabh is a proud father

After his son Abhishek received a trophy at the fourth annual Indian Sports Awards, Amitabh Bachchan's reaction was the most adorable thing

photo, he was also seen posing with another award. Abhishek was sitting in a chair and was dressed in pink and blue. On the table next to him, there was a

Bachchan. Sharing the pictures, Amitabh wrote, "YEEEAAAAHHHHHHH .. Abhishek ! my pride. Filmfare Best ActorDASVI ..Jaipur Pink Panthers,

ADAA KHAN on Ramzan

The holy month of Ramzan has started, and Muslims all over the world are in a celebratory mood. Adaa Khan to is fasting and praying. The actor, known for TV shows such as Behenein, Amrit Manthan, Naagin and Khatron Ke Khiladi 10, reveals her plans. She also talks about her life, likings and work.

“This is a month of purification, for a change I don't have to shoot at the moment. I will be fasting and I believe in the power of prayers. Ramzan is special for me every year,” she smiles.

Adaa urges those who are fasting to eat right to stay safe during the summer heat. “One should eat fruits to keep themselves hydrated and drink coconut water and lemon juice

and also butter milk,” she contin ues about the dos and don’ts during this time, “I follow routine and rituals, be disciplined, eat more fruits and eat timely and don't miss your prayers.”

On television, she is a big name. And all the love that she gets from her audience inspires her to work harder.

She further added, “As an actor you get to play dif ferent roles through dif ferent characters and also know people better which is like one big happy family. The big gest advantage of be ing an actor is that acting never gets boring, you can play positive and negative roles.”

that he worships what he does I believe that’s why he is very selective about the work he does because he gives his all to whatever he does. At the same time Ashutosh sir he’s not only a brilliant actor but his way of looking at life is amazing I have learnt a lot from him throughout.”

Speaking on his lockdown period he shared, “During the second wave I did by bit for the people, but yes personal loss was right there I know people very close to me being on ventilators. People used to reach out for help and I believe I have tried my best to be there.”

Well, Bheed is a film that is shown on screen in Black and white film to showcase the tragedy in the movie and has been receiving a lot of appreciation for the same.

After Bheed the actor will be seen in Guns and Gulaabs with Raj DK and Krishna Nidimoru.

Ravie Dubey meets Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Actor Ravie Dubey is a busy man for sure but he makes sure to find the time for things and people that matter. Recently, the actor met global humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Taking to Instagram, the actor shared a memorable experience that he had.

Posting pictures from his meeting, Ravie wrote, “An unforgettable meeting with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar ji ..deepest gratitude to my dear friends #mahaveerjain ji and @neetuma -

haveerjain ji for making this possible.” Ravie looked absolutely at peace in a while kurta pyjama and seemed to be engrossed in a deep discussion with the leader. Meanwhile, Ravie has been gaining a lot of love on social media due to his transformation for his next film Farradday. In fact, netizens are even comparing this transformation with that of Christian Bale and Randeep Hooda. The bare-chested, rugged look and balding head, Ravie’s look has taken his fans by surprise and they cannot wait for the film!

Jasmin on the Punjabi film industry

rom TV and films to OTT, Jasmin Bhasingling work in different mediums with expertise. While her craft is beingtor is always ready to take risks and try out new things.

Gippy Grewal, is a hit. Sharing her experience of doing Punjabi cinema, she added, “It was a great experience. As I said earlier, it felt like home. There’s so much warmth and love that I got there from all my coactors, in short, the complete team. Gippy Grewal was an amazing co-actor. He made me feel so comfortable. It was like just a house where some wedding is taking place given all the fun we had. And we made the film, which will be special for me forever.”

The actor is keen on doing more work in the industry. “The thing is when you start with something really big you set your standards really high. So I don’t want to disappoint anyone by doing just anything and everything,” she expressed.

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

Rajkummar Rao

Sushmita Sen

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with Ravie Dubey

Amitabh Bachchan

Adaa Khan Jasmin Bhasin