340c. 260c. Sunrise: 06:39 am Sunset: 06:51 pm street suffers worst day in a month on covid scare Pg 7 welcome self-restraint by apex court on pils Kunal Kapoor talKs about his upcoming film, the psychological thriller, Koi Jaane na Pg 22 “Best way to practice witness-state is not to criticize others.” Her Holiness Mataji Nirmala Devi CITY IN 5,000-CLUB Retired judge will look Vol. 64 No. 279 | THURSDAY | MARCH 25, 2021 | 13 Pages | ` 4 | EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, E-Paper SWAPNIL MISHRA / Mumbai The city has reported more than 5,000 cases for the first time since the pandemic outbreak. There were 5,185 new cases on Wednesday which is the high, est single-day spike. The total corona tally in the city has now surged to 3,74,611. Officials have attributed this EDIT Pg 17 surge to the increase in corona testing - from 25,000 to 40,000 per day They . insist there is no need for panic as the fatalities are under control despite the caseload increasing on a daily basis. Incidentally six covid-19 deaths were , reported in the last 24 hours, increasing the fatalities to 11,606 till now. Maharashtra also witnessed the highest sin- gle day spike on Wednesday with 31,855 new cases being reported across the state, pushing its tally to 26,64,881 cases thus far. The tally is again the highest reported since the pandemic outbreak. The covid-19 death toll has increased to 53,684, with 95 patients succumbing in the last 24 hours. CONTD. ON P13 NEW MENACE: DOUBLE MUTATION More infectious and less susceptible to treatment, the 2 mutants are wreaking fresh corona havoc in the State, says Centre SWAPNIL MISHRA & SANJAY JOG Mumbai Two mutant strains of coronavirus -- E484Q and L452R -are behind the sudden spike in the number of daily cases across Maharashtra, according to the Central Government. Last month, the two strains were discovered in Yavatmal and Amravati. When the two mutations come together in the same virus, they may prove to be more infectious and less susceptible to treatment by vaccines. In medical jargon, such mutations can escape neutralising antibodies in the host, reinfect and cause increased infectivity . The state’s Covid-19 taskforce too has cited the same reason for the surge, saying these variants are more transmissible but cause fewer fatalities. However, according to health officials, the spread of mutants is only one of the factors for the spike in cases; another reason for the surge could be attributed to the pool of susceptible population in any particular area, that is not adhering to Covid19 appropriate norms. CONTD. ON P13 Oral pill to halt Covid in its tracks Bobde gives clean chit ONLINE MEDIA REPORT / New York US pharmaceutical company Pfizer has begun Phase 1 clinical trial of an oral pill for the virus that causes Covid-19. The pill can be taken as soon as a patient develops symptoms. If the trail is successful, this could be the first early intervention for Covid of its kind that could prevent the worsening of symptoms, western media re- Nuns heckled, are forced to de-board ports said. Pfizer is conducting the trial in the US for now and says that it has so far “demonstrated potent in-vitro antiviral activity” against the virus that causes Covid-19, “as well as activity against other coronaviruses, suggesting potential for use in the treatment of Covid-19 as well as potential use to address future coronavirus threats”. CONTD. ON P13 Clean sweep by shooters SRAWAN SHUKLA Lucknow The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has said that a probe is on into alleged heckling of four Kerala-based Nuns by Bajrang Dal activists at Jhansi Railway station over allegations of forced conversions. The four Nuns, including two postulants, were travelling to Odisha in Utkal Express on March 19 when a few Bajrang Dal activists, who had also boarded the same train, allegedly heckled the Nuns, accusing them of forced conversion of the two postulants who were in a civil dress. A video containing the incident went viral on social media. The video contains conversations between the Nuns and the Bajrang Dal activists who were shouting that the duo were being forced to convert and asked them to show their Aadhaar Cards as proof of identity . CONTD. ON P13 INDIAN WOMEN SHOOTERS made the nation proud by ensuring a clean sweep of medals in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi. In a thrilling finale that went into a shoot-off after the scores were tied, Chinki Yadav clinched gold over Rahi Saranobat while Manu Bhaker had to settle for bronze. DHFL milked PM’s pet scheme OUR BUREAU / New Delhi The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday claimed to have busted yet another massive scam of over Rs 14,000 crore. The alleged scamster is the dubious Mumbai-based Dewan Housing Finance Limited, whose promoters Kapil and his brother Dheeraj Wadhawan are already in jail since April last year over fraud and money laundering charges. According to the CBI, the brothers targeted the MU to conduct final-year semester exams online RONALD RODRIGUES Mumbai The last semester theory examinations for final year Arts, Commerce and Science Undergraduate (UG) programmes of the University of Mumbai (MU) will be conducted online, from May 6 to 21, 2021, the varsity announced on Wednesday as it , released the much-awaited schedule. The timetable for the final examinations of postgraduate (PG) and management courses too would be released soon, the MU said. According to the schedule, “Final year last semester theory and practical examinations will be conducted via online mode by cluster colleges, on account of the Covid-19 situation. The final or Semester 6 regular and backlog theory exams of UG courses under Arts, Commerce and Science will be conducted from May 6 to 21. MU Summer semester exam schedule for Arts, Commerce and Science UG courses • Semester 6 theory exams: May 6 to 21 • Semester 1 to 4 theory exams: April 15 to May 5 • Semester 5 backlog exams: May 24 to June 2 • Practical exams of Semester 6: April 5 to 15 The Semester 1 to 4 regular and backlog exams will be conducted from April 15 to May 5. The Semester 5 backlog exams will be conducted from May 24 to June 2, 2021.” For management courses, the Semester 3 backlog and Semester 4 regular and backlog theory exams will be conducted from May 3 to 20. Degree colleges have been instructed to conduct practical, project and viva-voce exams CONTD. ON P13 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a Central scheme launched in October 2015 for housing to all, to create 2.6 lakh fake and fictitious home loan accounts of over Rs 14,000 crore and recovered Rs 1,880 crore from the government in interest subsidy . The scheme envisages housing loans to people from the economically weaker sections (EWS) and those from lower and middle income groups; the interest subsidy on such loans goes to DHFL type of financial institutions. TAILPIECE Bermudas: BJP choice for Didi G iven that BJP leaders -- such as Uttaranchal CM -- have an aversion for something as innocuous as a ripped jeans, Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh's suggestion that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should wear bermudas, if she wants to bare her legs, has not gone down well with both her fans and detractors. At a rally in Purulia, the state BJP chief said: "The plaster was cut and then a crepe bandage was put. And now she is displaying her leg to everyone. She is dressed in a saree but one of her legs is exposed. I have never seen anyone drape a saree like that. If you want to display your legs, why a saree, wear a pair of bermudas so everyone can have a good look." Predictably, women leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress were outraged. Party MP Mohua Moitra was scathing in her tweet: BJP West Bengal President asked in a public meeting why Mamatadi is CONTD. ON P13 to his CJI-pick Ramana OUR BUREAU New Delhi Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde, who is due to retire on April 23, a year after holding the top post of the Supreme Court, has picked Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana as his successor and recommended to the Centre that he be appointed as the new Chief Justice of India. He has sent the recommendation abiding by the principle that the senior-most judge of the Apex Court be the CJI as per the Memorandum of Procedure governing appointments to the higher judiciary . CLEAN CHIT: Before recommending Justice Ramana's name, the CJI also cleared the air about the allegations of corruption levelled against him. A short statement issued by the top court said: "A complaint dated 6th October, 2020, sent by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to the Supreme Court was dealt with under the InHouse Procedure and, the same, on due consideration, stands dismissed." CONTD. ON P13 Param Bir shunted to High Court, this time OUR BUREAU / New Delhi In a setback to the ousted former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, a 1988 batch IPS officer, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain his plea to stay his transfer to the Home Guards and order a CBI probe into the alleged corrupt malpractices of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, telling him to approach the Bombay High Court. Appearing for him, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, a former attorney general, sought a direction to the High Court to hear the matter immediately on Thursday since the case involves certain CCTV footage which may be destroyed. However, the Bench of Jutices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R Subhash Reddy told Rohatgi that this prayer may be made before the High Court. The Bench said, no doubt the matter is "quite serious" but wondered why Deshmukh had not been made a party even , though the entire case revolves around him. Rohatgi sought half an hour to rectify the matter, but the court wound up the case, asking him to go to the Bombay High Court. CONTD. ON P13 BJP turns to Koshyari Urges Guv to seek report from CM on corruption, governance & corona SANJAY JOG / Mumbai In an yet another attempt to corner the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the aftermath of the Antilia bomb scare, the Mansukh Hiran death case and the letter bomb, a Bharatiya Janata Party delegation met Governor BS Koshyari on Wednesday and urged him to seek a report from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the chief secretary on governance and corruption issues. The delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis alleged that the government had miserably failed on all fronts, especially in tackling the coronavirus pandemic. BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “We requested the governor to ask for a report from the Maharashtra Chief Minister on various issues related to governance and corona in the state. We also requested him to intervene in the corruption-related issue.” He noted that on three counts crime, corruption and the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government has failed. Fadnavis said, “The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has lost moral ground, it is working only for power. After so many incidents, Maharashtra CM is silent, Pawar Saaheb held two press conferences and just tried to protect the minister.” Further, he slammed the state government for ‘mishandling’ the coronavirus pandemic. “The government is not bothered about the Covid-19 situation in the state. The way in which cases are increasing here, it has become the epicentre. It is time to act, not give lectures,” he added. CONTD. ON P13 PETROL ` 97.40 Per litre DIESEL ` 88.42 Per litre www.freepressjournal.in twitter.com/fpjindia Reg. No. Mcs/048/2018-20; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai-400001 FPJ FOLLOW-UP into Param Bir charges Move meant to thwart Singh’s demand for CBI probe SANJAY JOG / Mumbai The Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by CM Uddhav Thackeray after an extensive discus, sion on the political situation arising from the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s corruption allegations against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, has decided to set up an inquiry panel headed by a retired high court judge to probe the matter . The panel will be set up after seeking the opinion of the law and judiciary departments on whether it will function under the Commission of Inquiry Act or it will be without any judicial powers. The move is to puncture Singh’s demand for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged demand of the home minis- ter for the collection of Rs 100 crore monthly from hotels and restaurants and bars. The Free Press Journal broke the story of the government’s move today A senior . minister told The FPJ, “The name of the retired judge will be finalised in consultation with Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni. The formation of the panel will coincide with Singh’s legal battle after he withdrew FPJ EXCLUSIVE his petition in the Supreme Court and filed a fresh petition in the Bombay high court, demanding a CBI probe.'' He said the inquiry panel will be tasked with looking into the charges levelled by Singh against Deshmukh and whether those allegations, based on verbal talk, can pass the legal test. The panel will be asked to submit a report within a stipulated time frame. CONTD. ON P13 Shukla-BJP nexus to the fore Secret documents on police transfers in question; violation of Official Secret Act seen SANJAY JOG / Mumbai The Maha Vikas Aghadi government has taken serious note of the free circulation of ‘top secret’ documents, especially the covering letter of former additional DG (intelligence) Rashmi Shukla on her report on phone tapping over the alleged police transfer racket and the letter by former DGP Subodh Jaiswal to additional home secretary (home), recommending action. The state government has asked the home department to register an offence against unknown persons for the possession of secret documents and making them available to others. Besides, a case can be lodged for the violation of Official Secrets Act. The government is perturbed over the manner in which the BJP has had such ‘top secret’ documents in its possession. A senior Maha Vikas Aghadi minister told The Free Press Journal, “It is quite clear that although Shukla continued as the additional director general (intelligence) even after change of government, she was passing along ‘top secret and confidential’ documents and inputs to the BJP . Shukla continued to show her loyalty to her previous bosses. This has severely damaged the government’s image and put the entire police department in the wrong box. CONTD. ON P13