FREE PRESS FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms - VOL. XXXIX NO. 57 | INDORE | THURSDAY | AUGUST 4, 2022 | PAGES 16 WWW.FREEPRESSJOURNAL.IN Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; RNI No. 38281/83 EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE EDIT TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE Pg-14 SITHARAMAN’S PAT ON HER OWN BACK FOR 24X7 UPDATES `3 QUALITY AT VALUE WEATHER 28.60c. 22.40c Sunrise : 05.49 Sunset : 07.08 MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT’S VIEW ON PANNA COLLECTOR... ‘Collector acts like political agent, should be removed immediately’ BHOPAL The Madhya Pradesh High Wednesday on Court slammed the Panna district collector for not complying with 'natural justice' in the panchayat elections and declaring winner the candidate who had received lesser number of votes. Hearing the petition, the court asserted that "this person is not fit for the post of collector and he should be removed from the post ." immediately The court said that Pan- News Brief SC hearing on Ram Setu soon The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to lift for hearing BJP leader Dr Subramanin Swamy's plea to direct the Centre to declare the Ram Setu as a national heritage monument. Ram Sethu, also known as Adam's bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban island, off the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu and Mannar island, off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka. Jaishankar visits Cambodia External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday began a two-day visit to Cambodia to attend an India-ASEAN ministerial meeting. On the first day of his tour, Jaishankar visited the famous Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap. Rs 2,217 cr duty evasion by Vivo Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has detected customs duty evasion of around Rs 2,217 crore by smartphone maker Vivo India, a subsidiary of China-based Vivo Communication Technology, a Finance Ministry statement issued Wednesday said. Anti-Doping Bill gets Parl nod Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill which seeks to provide a statutory framework for the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency and the National Dope Testing Laboratory. The National AntiDoping Bill, 2022 was passed by a voice vote in Rajya Sabha. Mamata inducts nine new faces West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday carried out a major reshuffle of her cabinet as nine people including Babul Supriyo, former BJP central minister, PG-8 were sworn in. He conducted himself to be a political agent by passing this order and he has no regard for the natural justice. This man should be removed from the collector's post MP HIGH COURT na district collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra has "acted like a political agent. He conducted himself to be a political agent by passing this order and he has no regard for the natural justice. This man should be removed from the collector's post," the court said. The court's observation came while hearing an election petition filed by Parmanand Sharma, who was one of the candidates for the post of vice-president in Panna Janpad panchayat. After the process of electing janpad panchayat members through direct voting, the elected members had to vote to elect the president and vice-presi- ED SEALS YOUNG INDIAN OFFICE MONEY LAUNDERING CASE NEW DELHI The Enforcement Directorate(ED) on Wednesday temporarily sealed the office of Young Indian (YI) company housed in the Congresspremises of owned newspaper National Herald here as part of an ongoing money laundering official investigation, sources said. Shortly after the ED action, the road to AICC headquarters was blocked by the Delhi police with the Congress saying policemen were deployed there and also around the residences of party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi nearby as if they were "terrorists", and claimed the party was "under siege" by the Modi government. But the police said barricades were erected and its personnel deputed to avoid any untoward situation. The barricades were later removed. Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference at the party office, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Mak- Govt treating our leaders like 'terrorists': Cong The Congress on Wednesday alleged the party was "under siege" by the government which, it said, surrounded its headquarters and the residences of party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as if they were "terrorists". Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi said it will not be intimidated by this kind of "cheap and petty politics". CONG WALKS OUT OF RAJYA SABHA Congress MPs walked out from the Rajya Sabha towards the end of proceedings on Wednesday after the Chair did not permit party leader Mallikarjun Kharge to raise the issue of alleged police barricading outside the residences here of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. en and Abhishek Singhvi said the Congress party will not be intimidated by this kind of "cheap and petty politics" and will continue to raise people's issues. The seal in the office of YI was put in order to "preserve the evidence" which could not be collected as authorised representatives of the company were not present during the raids that were launched on Tuesday, ED POWERS UNDER PMLA official sources said. The rest of the National Herald office on the top floor of the four-storey 'Herald House' building and other offices are open for use, the sources added. The passport office is also housed in the 'Herald House' located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. A notice affixed under the signature of the ED investigating officer outside the YI office space said it cannot be opened "without prior the from permission" . agency Officials said the ED team had emailed the summons to the principal officer/in-charge of YI, who happens to be senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, seeking their attendance to open the cabins for it to carry out raids but they have not received any response, so far. CONTD. ON P6 NARMADAPURAM OUR BUREAU / New Delhi Seventeen opposition parties on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court in a joint statement to review its July 27 ruling validating powers of the enforcement directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), expressing "deep apprehension on its long-term implications." The joint statement is signed by the Opposition parties, including Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), DMK Shiv Sena, AAP, and independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal. It said: "We hold, and will always hold, our Supreme Court in the highest respect. Yet, we are compelled to point out that the judgment should have awaited the verdict of a larger Bench for examining the constitutionality of the Finance Act route to carry out amendments. These faramendments reaching strengthened the hands of a government, indulging in the political vendetta of the worst kind, by using these very amended laws relating to money laundering and investigation agencies, to target its political opponents in a mischievous and malicious manner." CONTD. ON P6 ‘Locals to be exempted from e-way toll in cities’ sponding to supplementary queries in Question Hour where members expressed concerns over the setting up of toll plazas on expressways inside city limits due to which the local population had to pay toll even when . commuting within the city The road transport minister, who is often praised even by opposition members for the performance of his ministry, assured the members that the issue will be rectified and claimed the problem had arisen under the UPA rule. CONTD. ON P6 A man from Maharashtra's Amravati district died, while two others were injured when they were attacked by a group of around a dozen people over alleged cattle smuggling in Narmadapuram district, an official said on Wednes. day The incident occurred Tulika wins silver in judo event Birmingham: Indian judoka Tulika Maan gave her all but came up short against Scotland's Sarah Adlington in the final to settle for a silver medal in the women's 78kg category in the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. Tulika, who won two fights earlier in the day to make it to the final, led for majority of the bout before Adlington pulled off a decisive move, an Ippon, to win gold. SEE SPORTS PG when the group intercepted a truck transporting cows at Barakhad village near Seoni Malwa town at around 12.30 am on Tuesday night, Narmadapuram INDIA & CHINA now have most number of wetlands of int’l importance Madhya Pradesh’s another lake has found a place in the list of Ramsar site of days 10 within Shivpuri’s Sakhya Sagar Centre to withdraw contentious Personal Data Protection Bill, bring new one AGENCIES New Delhi on government The Wednesday said it will withdraw its much-awaited Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 that has seen 81 amendments in the past three years, and will now introduce a new bill. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told members of the Joint Committee of the Parliament (JCP) that the fresh bill will fit into the comprehensive legal framework. "The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was deliberated in great detail by the Joint Committee of Parliament. 81 amendments were proposed and 12 recommendations were made towards a comprehensive legal framework on the digital ecosystem," Vaishnaw said in a statement. "Considering the report of the JCP, a comprehensive legal framework is being worked upon. CONTD. ON P6 UDC tries to end life in a bid to stop EOW raid OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in An upper division clerk of the Directorate of Medical Education Bhopal, consumed a poisonous substance in a bid to thwart Economic Offences Wing (EOW) raid at his house, on said officials . Wednesday According to reports, EOW raided two places early Wednesday. The sleuths raided the house of assistant grade II Hero Keswani, posted in medical education directorate, in Bairagarh. The second EOW team raided house of assistant engineer of Jabalpur corporation municipal Adity Shukla. Director General of EOW, Ajay Sharma told Free Press that when the team raided the house, Hero Keswani consumed a poisonous substance. He was rushed to Hamidia Hospital. The sleuths later conducted the raid in the presence of the accused's wife and son. lake being listed as one, as per Ministry of Environment. On Wednesday, 10 more Indian sites including Sirpur lake in Indore were de- clared as Ramsar sites. With this, the tally of wetlands listed as Ramsar sites in India has gone up to 64 with India and China now having most number of such sites of international importance, as per Union environment ministry. As far as MP is concerned, Bhopal’s upper be to happens lake the first Ramsar sites de- decades two clared back. With Shivpuri’s lake Sirpur now and lake MP has three such sites. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an international treaty for conwetlands servation of sites. It is named after Iran’s Ramsar city where the convention was signed in 1971. CONTD. ON P6 SP Gurkaran Singh told reporters. Singh said the three men, all residents of Amravati district in Maharashtra, were illegally transporting the cows in a truck bearing registration number of the adjoining state. The SP said a group of 10-12 people stopped the truck and beat up the trio, leaving them injured.The police reached the spot and took the trio to a hospital where one of them succumbed to injuries during treatment, he said. Singh said a case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 302 (murder) has been registered and the accused are being identified and they will be arrested soon. CONTD. ON P6 SC wants expert body to control freebies during polls OUR BUREAU / New Delhi The Supreme Court on Wednesday called for an apex expert body to control the freebies by the political parties during the poll campaigns. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, suggested that members from the Niti Aayog, Finance Commission as well as ruling and opposi. tion parties on such a body It said the proposed enti- POST JABALPUR FIRE CM orders fire safety review of hospitals ty ould examine how to regulate the freebies nd submit its report to the Centre, the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. The Bench asked the Centre, the EC, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and the petitioners to submit their suggestions within seven days on the composition of the expert . body It was hearing a PIL by Delhi BJP advocate Ashwini Upadhyay for seizure of the symbol of the parties promising "irrational freebies" in the poll campaign. On the CJI stating that a situation has arisen due to "inaction" by the EC, the lawyer appearing for the EC said its hands were tied by a judgment of the court on the freebies. CONTD. ON P6 CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered review of fire safety mechanisms of hospitals across the state. Warning officials against repetition of any such mishap in future, the CM called for framing shortterm and long-term fire safety policies. Meanwhile, a doctor of New Life Hospital was arrested two PG-5 days after the fire. JMC ASST. ENGINEER TOO UNDER SCANNER SP (EOW-Jabalpur) Devendra Singh Rajput told Free Press that the agency had received a complaint against JMC assistant engineer Adity Shukla. “The team raided the house around 5 am. The team found papers of a 3,900-square feet plot and a mansion. He had received a plot from his parents where a huge huge house was constructed. Besides, two SUVs, a car, a scooter, and a high-speed motorcycle were also seized. A bank balance of Rs 6.40 lakh too was found till noon,” he added. He also added that PWD officials were called for the valuation of the mansion. 2 suspected terrorists arrested in Kathmandu from Mumbai-bound flight KATHMANDU Two suspected terrorists were arrested from a Mumbai-bound flight at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Interon Airport national . Wednesday The flight of Nepal Airlines RA-320 was supposed to take off at 1:10 local time. After Nepal Police received an information that two suspected terrorists are on board the flight, all passengers were offloaded. The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested two people believed to be the husband and wife, Nepal Airlines spokesperson Archana Khadka said. The police had received an information from Kailai District police that the accused were linked with some terrorist organisations and were travelling to Mumbai. Police are now thoroughly checking each and every passenger which will delay the flight. There were altogether 141 passengers on board the flight. Biryani worth Rs 43 lakh that nobody saw or ate SRINAGAR Sirpur lake finds place in Ramsar sites list OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in tor called both the parties and conducted a lottery to declare the winner for the vice-president's post. And Shiromani, who had secured less number of votes, was declared the winner. Subsequent to that, Sharma filed a petition before the High Court to challenge the outcome from the lottery system. After hearing the petition on Wednesday, the High Court said the collector is not fit for the post and he should be removed. The court also made the collector a party in the case. 17 parties urge SC Maha man killed, 2 others hurt in attack over illegal cattle transport to review ruling I AM THE FATHER OF EXPRESSWAY TOLL IN THE COUNTRY, SAYS GADKARI NEW DELHI: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha members that he was the ''father of toll tax" on expressways in the country as he built the first such road in Maharashtra during his stint as the state minister in late 1990s. minister senior The made the remark while re- dent of the particular janpad panchayat. The elections for the post of president and vice-president were held in July 27. Parmanand Sharma had received 13 out of the total 27 votes against his opponent Ram Shiromani. Accordingly, the presiding officer had handed the winner's certificate to Sharma. Soon after the election results were announced, Ram Shiromani had challenged the outcome. Shiromani had approached Panna district collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra. The collec- Biryani purchased for Rs 43 lakh by J&K Football Association (JKFA) was never seen eaten by anybody, the Jammu and Kashmir AntiCorruption Bureau (ACB) has found out that Unearthing a financial scam by the office bearers of the JKFA, the ACB has found that as per its records, the association purchased biryani for Rs 43 lakhs from a local eatery, 'Mughal Darbar' as refresh- ments for the youth, but the bill, on scrutiny, was found to be fake. "Nobody ever saw or ate that biryani for which the association claimed to have paid Rs 43 lakhs to Mughal Darbar. The bill turned out to be fake," an ACB source said. "A receipt for Rs 1,41,300 was placed on record from a stationery and hardware shop named Jan Hardware shop, Bemina. Investigators have found out that the shop never existed," the source said. JKFA President, Zamir Treasurer, Thakur, S.S.Bunty, Chief Executive, and Ahmad Fayaz S.A.Hameed have been booked under different sections of criminal law pertaining to forgery and criminal conspiracy, ACB sources said.