Vol. 67 No. 113 | FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 9, 2024 | 27 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Quality at Value www.freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Indore, Bhopal, E-paper UBT LEADER’S SON SHOT DEAD Assailant turns gun on himself ON FACEBOOK LIVE MEGHA KUCHIK / MUMBAI In a bizarre incident, which was being streamed live on Facebook, a gunman opened fire at former Shiv Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, before turning the gun on himself. Both Abhishek – the son of Uddhav Thackeray group leader Vinod Ghosalkar --and the assailant, described as a social worker – are believed to be dead. The incident happened in Dahisar at around 5pm on Tuesday Abhishek sustained . three bullet wounds, and was immediately rushed to Karuna Hospital, where he was admitted in a critical condition. The motive behind the attack appears to be related to a year-old complaint filed by Abhishek against ‘Mauris Noronha,’ the assailant, at the Dahisar police station, according to a local police officer. The latter had previously served time for a serious crime and believed that Abhishek was responsible for his I-T raids at 12 locations Among those raided include former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, a former BSP MP and ex-Maharashtra minister, Ramesh Dube, and retired bureaucrats. residences of Pradeep Sharma, Ramesh Dube, and a forThe Income Tax (IT) depart- mer bureaucrat who reportedment was in full throttle on ly had massive undisclosed inThursday when it conducted vestments in Star Wings real simultaneous raids at 12 loca- estate company promoted by tions linked to former en- developer Rajeev Dube.  counter specialist Pradeep Indian cricketer Shivam Dube Sharma, a former BSP MP is grandson of Ramesh Dube, and ex-Maharashtra minister, a founder member of the NCP . Ramesh Dube and retired buThe tax evasion searches reaucrats. There were uncon- were also conducted at the resfirmed reports that a retired idence of a former senior buIPS officer and an ex-IAS offi- reaucrat heading the Slum Recer were also raided. The raids habilation Agency (SRA) and were conducted following in- a retired senior police officer. formation about alleged tax “It is an ongoing investigaevasion and investments in be- tion linked to undisclosed innami properties in Mumbai vestments and benami properand adjoining Thane.  ties linked to politically exThe tax sleuths raided the  posed persons,” confirmed FPJ NEWS SERVICE / MUMBAI imprisonment. After his release, ‘Maurisbhai,’ as he was known in his inner circle, befriended Abhishek and invited the latter to a programme at his office, according to sources. Mauris left the programme midway, returned and shot thrice at Ghosalkar. After this, he turned the gun on himself, the police said. A dazed Ghosalkar can be seen in the video momentarily trying to comprehend what had happened. According to police, Abhishek and Mauris had offices adjacent to each other and according to local residents were engaged in some kind of one-upmanship, reported a news portal. CONTD. ON NATION FRESH LICENCE TO DEFER BEDTIME KALPESH MHAMUNKAR  MUMBAI / senior IT officials.  Pradeep Sharma, who is out on bail, is an accused the Mansukh Hiren murder case. Hiren was a witness in the Antilia case who was allegedly murdered at the behest of Sharma.  The taxmen searched Sharma's Andheri JB Nagar and Powai residence, his NGO office located in MIDC area.  The encounter specialist credited with killing of over 100 gangsters had contested the 2019 assembly elections on Shiv Sena ticket from Nalasopara and lost by a margin of 43,729 votes to Vasai Virar strongman Bhai Thakur son Kshitij Thakur.  CONTD. ON NATION Former Minister and threetime Congress MLA from the Bandra west constituency Baba Siddiqui has announced his resignation from the primary membership of the party . On Thursday morning, he posted a message on X about his resignation. He has said that he will be joining the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and work wholeheartedly for the party .  His post read: ’’I joined the Indian National Congress party as a young teenager and it has been a significant journey lasting 48 years. Today I resign from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress Party @INCIndia with immediate effect. CONTD. ON NATION GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR / NEW DELHI W ith the Budget Session being the last before the Lok Sabha elections, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday tabled a “White Paper” on the Indian economy to put in stark contrast the economic performance in the 10 years of UPA, rule vis-à-vis a decade under the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. In the 59-page document brought out by the Ministry of Finance, the Centre said, “In 2014 when we formed the government, the economy was in a fragile state; public finances were in a bad shape; there was economic mismanagement and T hough the decision has  support of many the parents and medical professionals, some experts believe that instead of  opening schools  later, the focus should be on weaning away  students  from mobile and other devices, the culprits behind disrupted sleep cycles. They point out that changing the  school  time might give kids the ‘licence’ to further defer bedtime White Paper on economy in ten years from 2004 to 2014 financial indiscipline, and there was widespread corruption. It was a crisis situation.” It claimed that “the UPA Government failed miserably to facilitate economic activities” and instead created hurdles that held back the economy”. Stating that “it is necessary to place in the public domain the seemingly insurmountable challenges – left behind as a legacy by the UPA Government”, the document claimed that “every challenge of the pre-2014 era was overcome through our economic management and our governance. These have placed the country on a resolute path of sustained high growth. CONTD. ON NATION FLAP OVER RAHUL’S OBC REMARK OUR BUREAU / NEW DELHI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not a real OBC (Other Backward Class) led to heavy political cross firing from the BJP . Speaking on the border of Chhattisgarh at the end of two days of Odisha tour of the Bharat jodo Nyay Yatra on Thursday Rahul said "When, ever BJP workers come to you, tell them one thing that our Prime Minister lied to the entire country that he belonged to the backward class. He was not born in a backward class; he belongs to the general caste. You tell this to every BJP worker." “Modi comes from the Modh Ghanchi caste of Gu- jarat which was not an OBC caste. It was only in 2000 that the Gujarat government declared Ghanchis as OBC. Until then, Modi hailed from the general category until he was declared an OBC,” Rahul Gandhi said. CONTD. ON NATION LAST WORD No more India-Myanmar free movement FPJ NEWS SERVICE / NEW DELHI Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday the Centre has decided to scrap the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR) to maintain the country's internal security and demographic structure of the northeastern states. Shah added that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended the immediate suspension of FMR. As per FMR policy those belonging to , the hill tribes, being citizens of either India or Myanmar and residing within a 16 km radius on either side of the border, can cross with a border pass valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to two weeks per visit. There is no clarity yet on what meas- To maintain 'demographic structure' and for internal security, Foreign Ministry is scrapping the 2018 Act East Policy measure that allowed free movement up to 16 km on either side of the border ures the Government will take to enforce the decision all along the 1,643-km border with Myanmar. Nor is there any clarity on how quickly a fencing project will be completed. Not all border areas have been demarcated for fencing. The India-Myanmar border, which passes through Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, is currently subject to FMR. It was imple- SHOOT-AT-SIGHT ORDERS PRE-PRIMARY, CLASSES 1-4 MUSAB QAZI  MUMBAI / Yet another old UPA’s WAS THE hand exits Cong LOST DECADE Baba Siddiqui joining Ajit Pawar Flashpoint Haldwani mented in 2018 as part of India's Act East policy . Meiti groups based in Imphal have demanded that the border be fenced, alleging that tribal militants often enter India through the porous border. They also claim narcotics and arms are being smuggled because of the porous nature of border. CONTD. ON NATION School will begin only after 9am in Maharashtra for kids in the pre-primary section and Classes 1-4, starting from the coming academic year, 2024-’25.  The state government has directed that schools, both private  and government-run, not have early morning classes for young students, to ensure Fiery protests over razing of religious structures BISWAJEET BANERJEE DEHRADUN Communal tension erupted in Haldwani area of Nainital district on Thursday evening following the demolition of a ‘madrasa’ and an underground mosque-like structure that were illegally constructed on government land in the Banbhulpura area. The incident led to a volatile situation, prompting the imposition of curfew after miscreants pelted stones at police officers and set vehicles ablaze, including a police car. Late night reports on India Today’s news portal said shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in strife-hit Banbhulpura. The unrest unfolded when local residents confronted the Municipal Corporation and police teams dispatched to dismantle the unauthorized religious structure. “The district administration has imposed a curfew in the restive Banbhulpura area and all roads leading to it have been barricaded,” Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said in a statement. Reports indicate that more than 20 police personnel, including the Ramnagar Kotwal, sustained injuries during the clashes. “ tension escaAs lated, law enforcement officials were compelled to use tear gas and resorted to firing to disperse the agitators,” ADG Law and Order AP Anshuman said. CONTD. ON NATION No classes before 9am ‘Younger kids staying up late due to mobile, internet use, not well-rested at night’ that the latter get adequate sleep. However, the hours of instruction cannot be shortened, despite this proposed change in the timetable. The idea was first mooted last December by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, who said that children are unable to get adequate sleep, as they stay up late in the night due to mobile and internet use. Taking a cue from the remarks, School  Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar consulted education experts and parents about changing school timings for lower grades. The decision was announced in a government res- olution on Thursday . According to the government, many students  sleep late at night because of change in lifestyle, modes of entertainment and noise pollution in urban areas and are still forced to wake up early in the morning for school. CONTD. ON NATION