FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLII No. 225 | INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 20, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports ‘India never began well’ - batting flaws exposed in NZ series loss P.12 India shines brightest as IMF raises FY26 growth to 7.3% Palazhi Ashok Kumar MUMBAI India has once again emerged as the brightest spot in the global economic landscape, with the IMF raising its growth projection for FY25– 26 to a robust 7.3% on Monday. The upward revision of 70 basis points reflects a strongerthan-anticipated third-quarter performance and sustained momentum heading into the fourth quarter, underscoring the economy’s underlying resilience. In October 2025, under the baseline assumption of prolonged 50% US tariffs, IMF had projected the real GDP to grow at 6.6% for FY2526 before moderating to 6.2% in FY26-27. The revised outlook places India well ahead of global peers, with growth expected to significantly outperform IMF’s projections for the world economy, estimated at 3.3% in 2026. While India’s expansion is projected to moderate gradually to around 6.4% in subsequent years as cyclical factors ease, it is still set to remain the fastest-growing major economy globally. 4Continued on | P8 fp Briefs ADAMUZ 39 killed in train collision Spanish police said Monday that at least 39 people are confirmed dead in a high-speed train collision the previous night in the south of the country, as efforts to recover the bodies continue with authorities expecting the death toll to rise. The crash occurred Sunday at 7:45 pm when the tail end of a train carrying some 300 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, went off the rails at 7:45 pm. It slammed into an incoming train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. BENGALURU B’luru goes back to ballot In a move that has raised eyebrows in political and administrative circles, the Karnataka State Election Commission has decided to conduct elections to the five civic bodies under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) using ballot papers instead of EVMs. State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi said on Monday the call was taken after consultations with multiple stakeholders. ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY SC rejects minister Vijay Shah’s apology Pulls up state govt over delay in sanction for prosecution Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Shah had said: They killed our Hindus by removing their clothes, and Modiji sent their sister to their house to beat them up, referring to Op Sindoor Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned why state had not acted on SIT request for prosecution sanction. Government has been sitting on SIT report since August 2025, now it is January 19, 2026, bench observed. SC noted that SIT had sought approval for prosecution. Shah’s EAM raps Poland over Pak support counsel informed SC that minister had already tendered apology. On May 14, 2024, High Court took suo motu cognizance of Shah’s remarks and directed state police to register FIR. Consequently, he was booked under Sections 152, 196(1)(b), and 197(1)(c) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Later that evening, Shah posted a social media video apologising for comments and calling Colonel Qureshi “nation’s sister.” However, on May 15, High Court expressed dissatisfaction with FIR and said it would monitor investigation to ensure fairness. The controversy stems from provocative speech delivered by Shah on May 11, 2025 in Indore’s Mhow. Shah had said: “They killed our Hindus by removing their clothes, and Modiji sent their sister to their house to beat them up,” referring to “Operation Sindoor.” 4Continued on | P8 MP U-19 end 80-year wait, lift maiden Cooch Behar Trophy Our Sports Reporter INDORE/VALSAD EAM S. Jaishankar with Polands Deputy PM and Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in New Delhi FP News Service NEW DELHI India has raised strong concerns with Poland over what it described as “selective and unfair targeting” of New Delhi over its trade ties with Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, while also urging Warsaw not to extend any support, direct or indirect, to Pak on issues related to cross-border terrorism. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s position during a meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in New Delhi. The two leaders reviewed the expanding India–Poland strategic partnership and ex- PUNE changed views on regional and global developments. Welcoming the Polish delegation, Jaishankar said the meeting was taking place at a time of “considerable churn” in global affairs, making it important for countries in different regions to exchange perspectives. He said India and Poland, whose ties were elevated to a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Warsaw in August 2024, would review the Action Plan 2024–28 and explore deeper cooperation in trade, investment, defence and security, clean technologies and digital innovation. Madhya Pradesh Under-19 created history by winning their first-ever Cooch Behar Trophy, defeating Gujarat by six wickets at Valsad on Monday. After conceding a first-innings lead, MP bowled Gujarat out for 133, with Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan starring. Kushagra Nagar’s composed 71 led the chase, supported by Pushkar Vishwakarma and Sparsh Dhakar, sealing a landmark triumph after decades of near misses. (Detail report on sports page) 4Continued on | P8 BHOPAL NASHIK Our Staff Reporter In a major relief to banks, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has facilitated the restitution of properties worth Rs. 180.87 crore in a sensational money laundering case involving M/s Zoom Developers Pvt. Ltd. The company’s directors, Nabin elected unopposed, BJP gets youngest prez Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Five-time Bihar MLA Nitin Nabin was on Monday elected unopposed as the BJP national president, the youngest ever to occupy the top party post at a time when the saffron party seeks to further expand its footprint with key state elections around the corner. Nabin, 45, emerged as the sole candidate for the post with PM Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders filing nomination papers in his support. Nabin will be formally declared as BJP president on Tuesday signalling a generational shift in its top organizational leadership and a new era in the party, which was founded in 1980, the same year he was born. Earlier in the day, BJP national president JP Nadda and several union ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, accompanied Nabin to the office of BJP’s national returning officer and MP K Laxman for the filing of his nomination. After punishment transfers, officers get key positions After Kanyal, Rathi, and Singhal, Dileep Yadav gets important assignment Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Punishment awarded to the officers by the government for showing negligence in work or for creating controversies does not last long in the state. The officers, who had been shifted for accidents or for some other reasons, were given important postings afterwards. The then commissioner of Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), who was removed after the deaths of several people due to contaminated water, was posted as managing director of MP Tourism Development Corporation. The posting has raised a storm. Before Yadav, a few other officers who had been shifted from their places of posting as punishment were given important positions. After taking over as Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav transferred collector of Guna district Tarun Rathi and several other officers because of a bus accident, but, after a while, Rathi was appointed health Those responsible for deaths rewarded: Patwari Reacting to the transfer of Dileep Yadav, MPCC president Jitu Patwari said those who had been responsible for deaths were rewarded. He said the order suspending additional commissioner Rohit Sissoniya was yet to be made public. Similarly, Dinesh Maurya, who was removed after the deaths of children due to toxic cough syrup, was posted as deputy secretary of the General Administration. The Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, said after the deaths in Indore, the IMC commissioner had been promoted within 16 days of the incident commissioner. According to the transfer list issued on Sunday, Rathi was posted as commissioner of the Tribal Welfare Department. Collector of Shajapur district Kishore Kanyal was removed for misbehaving with a driver. Now, Kanyal is the collector of Guna. Before this, he had been posted to Sheopur. The then collector of Seoni, Kshitij Singhal, was shifted after the death of cows. He was recently sent as commissioner of IMC. Before joining IMC, Shingal was the MD of Central Region Power Distribution Company. Vijay Chaudhary and other accused, allegedly defrauded a consortium of 22 banks, resulting in a wrongful loss of approximately Rs. 2,650 crore. According to official information from the ED, properties of the accused valued at Rs. 180.87 crore have been restored in favour of the banks. Of this, properties with a fair company M/s Zoom Developers Pvt Ltd market value of Rs. 106.5 crore—comprising three attached properties—have been ordered for restitution to the with a kashida saree by Tarun Tahiliani for the nikah, the celebration slipped out of private albums and into a national argument. What should have been a routine elite wedding quickly spiralled into a debate on borders, breadlines and bridal wear. Social media flooded with images, zeroing in on the bride’s wardrobe — heavy antique gold embroidery, jewel-toned panels and unapologetic regality for the mehendi, followed by Mughal-inspired motifs, a jaam- evar-style blouse and diamond-emerald jewellery for the nikah. Subtlety, clearly, The then collector Deepak Arya, who was transferred from Sagar after the deaths of children due to the collapse of a wall, was posted as the chief executive officer of the MP Rural Road Development Authority (MPRRDA). Navneet Kothari, who was transferred after the controversy in the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), was posted as principal secretary in Lok Bhawan, which was earlier known as Raj Bhawan. 4Continued on | P8 Short visit, big outcome Ashwin Ahmad NEW DELHI The visit of Sultan Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi raised some eyebrows because of its short duration. According to an MEA notice, the Emirati leader landed in the national capital at 4:25 pm, held talks with Prime Minister Modi at 4:45 pm and left the country by 6 pm. However, foreign secretary Vikram Misri clarified later in a special briefing that talks went on for over three hours with Sheikh Zayed leaving for Dubai at 7:30 pm. Prime Minister Modi who went to the airport to greet Sheikh Zayed wrote on X. “Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. 4Continued on | P8 PM Narendra Modi with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on latters arrival, in New Delhi. China in record low birth rates Agencies BEIJING China’s population declined for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, as births fell to a fresh record low and deaths continued to rise, deepening concerns over rapid ageing, a shrinking workforce and longterm economic challenges. According to data released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the population fell by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion in 2025, marking a faster decline than in 2024. Births dropped sharply to 7.92 million, down 17% from 9.54 million a year earlier, while deaths increased to 11.31 mil- consortium of banks led by Punjab National Bank (PNB). Additionally, properties valued at Rs. 74.37 crore— comprising 21 attached properties—have been ordered for restitution in favour of IDBI Bank. The restitution pertains to a money laundering case against M/s Zoom Developers Pvt. Ltd., 4Continued on | P8 Indian couture, Pakistani outrage Lahore last weekend played host to a wedding that made couture, not vows, the headline. When Shanzay Ali Rohail, bride of Junaid Safdar — grandson of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif — chose an emerald green lehenga by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for her mehendi and followed it up P.6 Cinema Randeep enters wellness... P.14 offgrid FP News Service E-paper was not on the guest list. And just like that, Pakistani timelines acquired a new refrain: “Sabyasachi lehenga – Maryam”. The backlash was swift and savage. In a country grappling with inflation, unemployment and food insecurity, critics called the optics obscene, likening the spectacle to Marie Antoinette cosplay. 4Continued on | P8 SIT set up to probe banned meat supply from BMC abattoir Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL lion from 10.93 million in 2024. The country’s birthrate slipped to 5.63 per 1,000 people. According to the data released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025 compared to 9.54 million in 2024, a decline of 17%. 4Continued on | P8 ED facilitates restitution of Rs. 180.87 cr to banks Trump says no The restitution obligation towards pertains to a money laundering case peace anymore... against city-based INDORE MUMBAI MUMBAI Edit Never bored of peace Louvre’s first-ever exhibition in Shanghai REMARK ON COL SOFIA | Top court gives state 2 weeks to decide on sanction for prosecution Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Madhya Pradesh government for delaying decision on granting sanction to prosecute minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, months after SIT sought approval over his remark against Colonel Sofia Qureshi. SC has given state government two weeks to decide whether to grant sanction for prosecution. Besides, SC rejected Shah’s apology when raised during hearing. SC was hearing petitions filed by Shah challenging High Court’s suo motu order for registration of an FIR against him over his reference to Colonel Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists.” The bench of Chief Justice UJJAIN Agencies WASHINGTON “…but can now think about what is good and proper for the US.” US President Trump has linked his repeated threats to seize control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer feels obliged to think “purely of peace”, according to an extraordinary letter sent to Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre. He made the remarks in a letter whose authenticity was confirmed by Støre to Norwegian newspaper VG on Monday. In it, the US president said that after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, he no longer felt constrained in his approach to foreign policy. “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace,” Trump wrote, adding that he could now “think about what is good and proper” for the United States. Støre told VG that the letter was sent in response to “a short message to President Trump from me earlier in the day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb”. 4Continued on | P8 A Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed on instructions of Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra, will conduct a detailed probe into the high-profile banned meat supply case from BMC slaughterhouse at Jinsi. The SIT will be headed by ACP HabibganjUmesh Tiwari and assisted by officers including Jahangirabad police station in-charge Man Singh Chaudhary and Shapura police station in-charge Lokendra Singh. Officials said investigation will cover all aspects of the case, including questioning slaughterhouse operator Aslam Qureshi, aka Aslam Chamda, his aides, workers and other staff. The SIT will also re-examine CCTV footage and visit the facility with an FSL team to collect further evidence related to banned meat supply. Police sources said that Aslam Qureshi may be taken on police remand for detailed questioning. Officials believe the probe could reveal additional names linked to the banned meat supply chain from Jinsi slaughterhouse. The BMC slaughterhouse at Jinsi was sealed on January 8, after an FSL report confirmed banned meat in packets seized from a container intercepted near PHQ area on December 17. In connection with the case, Aslam Qureshi and container driver Shoaib were arrested and sent to jail. The veterinary doctor overseeing slaughtered animals at the facility, along with eight others, were suspended for negligence.