Vol. 67 No. 153 | THURSDAY | MARCH 28, 2024 | 26 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Quality at Value www.freepressjournal.in MEMBER: AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Indore, Bhopal, E-paper KAPIL SHARMA’S NEW SHOW Comedian reunites with Sunil Grover six years after their public spat EDIT TOO FEW LS TICKETS FOR WOMEN MVA HAS KHICHDI ALL OVER ITS FACE Advantage BJP, as MVA implodes FPJ POLITICAL BUREAU / MUMBAI The decision of the Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray to unilaterally announce 17 candidates even before the conclusion of the seat-sharing talks with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners has brought to the fore the cracks within the alliance at this crucial prepoll juncture. The Congress has questioned the fate of the MVA and the INDIA bloc in Maharashtra as the filing of nominations for the first phase ended on Wednesday On the heels of this de. velopment, the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s move to go solo by announcing seven of its own candidates, has further harmed the prospects of a non-BJP front in the state, paving the way for the BJP-led Mahayuti to exploit the political development and extract mileage. The BJP is expected to take full advantage of a divided opposition to achieve its Mission 45plus with its allies -- the Shiv Sena, the NCP the , Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and the Republican Party of India – firmly ensconced in its camp, even as the acid test for the Shiv Sena UBT, Congress and the NCP will be to avoid a split in votes because of their differences and the VBA googly ’s . ■ Congress furious over Thackeray’s breach of alliance dharma ■ Naming of candidates in Mumbai south-central, Sangli, Mumbai north-west, and Bhiwandi becomes flashpoint ■ Sanjay Nirupam takes umbrage at nomination of Amol Kirtikar – accused in the infamous BMC ‘khichdi scam’ What had earlier appeared to be smooth sailing for the MVA to take on the BJP by targeting its double Operation Lotus in Maharashtra has now become a near-impossible task. However, for the BJP it is an unmissable opportunity which it certainly will not pass up , – the chance to score brownie points over a divided opposition while consolidating its own position with the help of allies. CONTD. ON NATION ■ VBA’s Ekla Chalo slams door on possibility of non-BJP front in Maharashtra, may join hands with Manoj Jarange-Patil Nirupam launches frontal attack on Congress City THE FP BULLETIN INDIGO GRAZES AIR INDIA EXP. I t was a close shave as two aircraft came precariously close to each other on the runway in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. A Darbhanga-bound IndiGo aircraft, while taxiing, grazed a stationary Air India Express flight waiting for clearance to hit the runway. A part of the Air India Express aircraft's wing that was impacted fell on the runway, while the IndiGo aircraft's wing was dented. The DGCA has taken off the roster both the IndiGo A320 VT-ISS pilots and ordered a detailed probe, reported news agency ANI. Both the flights have been grounded for detailed inspection and the ground staff will also be questioned during the investigation. EC NOTICES TO SUPRIYA, DILIP T he Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to Congress leader Supriya Shrinate and former West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh for their offensive remarks against women. The comments are “undignified and in bad taste” and prima facie violate provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, the poll panel said, giving the two leaders time until 5 pm on March 29 to explain why action should not be taken against them. Shrinate came under fire over a derogatory social media post against the BJP’s Mandi Lok Sabha candidate Kangana Ranaut. Ghosh, the BJP candidate for the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, was sent a showcause notice by the poll panel for mocking the family background of Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee. 26/11 HERO IS NEW NIA CHIEF SOMENDRA SHARMA / MUMBAI Sadanand Date, 57, a Maharashtra cadre IPS officer (1990 batch), who was injured while countering Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, will be the new director-general of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He currently heads the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Maharashtra Police. He shot to prominence when he confronted dreaded terrorists Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail, who had entered Cama & Albless Hospital near Azad Maidan Police Station and were indiscriminately firing their automatic weapons. An undeterred Date led his team and challenged the terrorists for as long as 50 minutes. He was badly injured when a grenade was thrown by one of the terrorists. Because of the valiant pushback by Date and his team, the attackers were forced to flee from the hospital. The attackers then entered the lane near St Xavier’s College, which leads to the rear entrance of the city police headquarters. In the lane, they fired on an oncoming police vehicle near Rang Bhavan, in which IPS officers Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Senior Inspector Vijay Salaskar were martyred. Date was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry for his bravery . CONTD. ON NATION After Rs 380cr loot, CA found in Rishikesh VISHAL SINGH & CHARUL SHAH JOSHI / MUMBAI A chartered accountant from Mumbai who was also the promoter of Ritz Consultancy Services Company , Amber Dalal, was arrested by the Mumbai police in Rishikesh on Tuesday night. Dalal is alleged to have duped 512 investors of Rs 380.79 crore in a Ponzi scheme. was produced beHe fore a special court and Mumbai Police sought his custody for 14 days. The court has remanded him in police custody till April 1. CONTD. ON NATION ED SUMMONS MAHUA MOITRA The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday summoned Trinamool Congress leader and Krishnanagar candidate Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case. HC DIRECTS RAZING OF 4-STOREY BUILDING URVI MAHAJANI / MUMBAI An illegal construction cannot be permitted to continue, the Bombay High Court said and directed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to demolish a four-storey building in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, that was constructed without any permission. Court says there is a distinction between illegality and irregularity Interestingly, NMMC had demolished the building on four earlier occasions in 2020. The court termed it “a clear cut case of trespass” and observed that there is a distinction between illegali- ty and irregularity . The high court, which asked the 23 occupants, who were represented by advocate RD Soni, to vacate the premises within six weeks, directed the corporation to demolish the structure within two weeks thereafter. No civil court should entertain any plea from any of the parties seeking stay on the demolition, it said. CONTD. ON NATION IDEA FLOATS FROM DOWN UNDER India-Pak bilateral cricket in Australia? JOE WILLIAMS / MUMBAI Cricket Australia (CA) wants to push its luck in hosting a bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan which hasn't happened since the 2012-2013 series, which Pakistan won 2-1. According to the Future Tours Programme, India won't be playing Pakistan in any bilateral series in the 2023-2027 cycle. Yet, CA senses an opportunity here when in the forthcoming season, both the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams will be in Australia for their respective series scheduled for November and December. India has a five-match Test series, commencing on December 22 in Perth, while Pakistan's cricketing contingent has a three-match ODI and T20I series against the Australians. Nick Hockley the CEO of Cricket Aus, tralia (CA), articulated his enthusiasm for the prospect of hosting the India-Pakistan bilateral series at the MCG, should the opportunity arise. In the 2022 T20 World Cup clash between the two teams at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a staggering crowd of 90,293 spec- tators witnessed an electrifying last-ball thriller, featuring an unforgettable innings by Virat Kohli, who etched his name in cricketing folklore with an iconic knock of 82* runs. In the light of this, Cricket Australia (CA), along with the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG operators) and the Victorian government, have expressed keen interest in hosting future encounters between the two cricketing powerhouses recognising the significant financial potential it holds. Hockley was quoted in the Australian media as saying, “I think anyone that was here for the India-Pakistan game at the MCG, it will go down as one of the most memorable occasions, not just sporting occasions, that I’ve ever been to. So people want to see that contest. CONTD. ON NATION GOVT TO BORROW `7.5L CR FROM MKT IN FIRST HALF OF 2024-25 The gross market borrowing shall be completed through 26 weekly auctions 0 0 32 c. 27 c. Sunrise : 06:37 am Sunset : 06:51 pm US gets an earful from Delhi V SUDARSHAN / NEW DELHI A day after maintaining a studied silence on the remarks made by the American State Department spokesman stating that the United States was “closely following” the developments relating to the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned the American Deputy Chief of Mission, Gloria Berbena, to “take strong objection to the remarks about certain legal proceedings in India.” The Ministry of External American Dy Chief of Mission, Gloria Berbena, arrives at MEA office in South Block Affairs said on its website, “In diplomacy states are expected , to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.” Without having provided a ED BOTTLES UP KEJRI HOPES TILL APRIL 3 GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR NEW DELHI The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to pass any interim order on plea for immediate release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is in ED’s custody in connection with a money laundering case stemming from the Delhi Excise Policy scam. But even as the court declined to pass any interim order, it issued notice on the Delhi CM's plea for relief. It further granted ED time till April 2 to respond and posted the matter for further consideration on April 3. Incidentally Kejriwal’s ar, rest too had taken place just hours after the High Court rejected his plea for protection from coercive action in the case. A Delhi court had subsequently on March 22 remanded him to six days’ custody of the central investigating agency . Appearing for Kejriwal before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi pleaded that his arrest in the case was only based on statements by accused persons who had later turned approvers and that there was no other evidence against him. The ED’s case is that the now scrapped new excise policy was implemented by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi in 2020-21 as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private compa- HC refuses to order release from Tihar as interim relief; counsel argues he was betrayed and deceived by approvers – modern-day ‘Jaichand.’ context, it is not immediately clear what “setting unhealthy precedents” could mean in the ‘you-scratch-my-back-andI-scratch-yours’ world of diplomacy . The statement goes on to say: “India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted.’’ The MEA statement stressing “objective and timely outcomes” is a direct response to the American statement that said, CONTD. ON NATION 40-YR-OLD, TEEN SON DIE AS BUS RAMS INTO THEM AISHWARYA IYER / MUMBAI A man and his son died after the two-wheeler they were riding was hit by a bus at GD Ambedkar Marg, Parel Tank Road, near Kalachowki. Pawan Kumar Sahu (40) and his 19-year-old son, Nitin, a Class 11 student, were going on their scooty from Parel to Kalachowki when the bus (MH 01 EE 8015) knocked them down on Tuesday. Nitin, who was riding the scooty, was trying to overtake the private school bus when the two vehicles collided, police officials said. The impact of the collision threw Pawan several feet away, while Nitin was dragged by the bus, which ran over him, leading to injuries to his neck and head, said an official. CONTD. ON NATION