FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 65 | INDORE | MONDAY | AUGUST 12, 2024 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.com Sports I hope to improve upon a couple of areas: Neeraj P.10 fp ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK NEW DELHI Natwar Singh passes away Former External Affairs Minister and Congress leader K Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday night at the age of 93. PM Narendra Modi, HM Ami Shah and several top leaders, cutting across political lines, have condoled his death. Bk deposits’ decline raise concerns for NBFC fundraising Brand Sutra What’s The Secret Sauce? P.12 LUCKNOW BSP to fight in all 10 seats Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday announced that her party will field candidates in all the 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh where bypolls are going to be held. The Election Commission is yet to declare the schedule for the by-elections to Karhal, Milkipur, Katehari, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Meerapur, Phulpur, Majhawan and Sisamau assembly seats. NEW DELHI Sisodia meets AAP leaders over polls AAP leader Manish Sisodia held a meeting with senior leaders on Sunday to discuss the strategy for the Delhi Assembly polls slated to be held early next year. Senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Delhi ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Gopal Rai as well as the party's Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Sandeep Pathak attended the meeting. CHANDIGARH Rains lash Punjab, Haryana Rains lashed many parts of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday, bringing the mercury two to six notches below normal, according to the meteorological department. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, received 129.7 mm of rainfall, a meteorological department report said. In Punjab, Rupnagar received 64 mm of rainfall, Patiala 62 mm, Ludhiana 57 mm, Mohali 32 mm, Faridkot 6.5 mm, Ferozepur 5 mm, and Pathankot and Amritsar 2 mm each. NOT MUCH MEAT IN HINDEN BURGER FP Business Desk MUMBAI SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch have refuted USbased short-seller Hindenburg’s allegations and asserted that their investment in the fund, which the short-seller claimed is linked to the alleged "Adani stock manipulation", was made two years before Madhabi joined Sebi as a whole-time member. Also, this investment was made "when they were both private citizens living in Singapore.’’ Hindenburg on Saturday night released a fresh report alleging that it suspects Sebi's unwillingness to act against the Adani Group may be because its head Madhabi Buch had stakes in offshore funds linked to the conglomerate. The couple also dubbed the allegations as a "character assassination attempt" which they ascribed to a show cause notice served on Hindenburg for a variety of violations in India. It is unfortunate that instead of replying to the show cause notice, they have chosen to attack the credibility of the SEBI and its chairperson, the statement said. Explaining the rationale for investing in the fund referred to in the Hindenburg report, the couple put out a detailed statement. It said: "The decision to invest in this fund was because the Chief Investment Officer, Anil Ahuja, is Dhaval's childhood friend from school and IIT Delhi and, being an exemployee of Citibank, J.P. Morgan and 3i Group plc, had many decades of a strong investing career. The fact that these were the drivers of the investment decision is borne out by the fact that when, in 2018, Ahuja, left his position as CIO of the fund, we redeemed the investment in that fund." ADANI REPONSE: Meanwhile, in a stock exchange filing, the Adani Group has described these allegations as "a recycling of discredited claims that have been thoroughly investigated, proven to be baseless and already dismissed by the Supreme Court in January 2024". 4Continued on | P6 Umpire is compromised, says Rahul New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the integrity of SEBI has been "gravely compromised" by the allegations against its chairperson and asked whether the Supreme Court would look into this matter suo motu once again. The Congress leader also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue, saying that it is now "abundantly clear why PM Modi is so afraid" of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe. His remarks came after US short-seller Hindenburg Research on Saturday alleged that market regulator SEBI chairperson Madhabi Buch and her husband had stakes in obscure offshore funds linked to Adani. In a post on X, Gandhi Two collectors, one comm removed in five months Sanjeev Singh, who was sent to loop line seven months ago, is Bhopal divisional commissioner Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL In a major administrative overhaul, the state government transferred 26 IAS officers, appointing new collectors in eight districts on late Saturday night. Within a short span of five months, one divisional commissioner and two district collectors have been removed. Vidisha collector Buddhesh Vaidya, who referred to Bijapur temple as a mosque on Nag Panchami, was removed and shifted as deputy secretary home. Director, Public Relations, Roshan Singh has been posted as new Collector 26 IAS officers transferred, new collector posted in eight districts of Vidisha. Tarun Bhatnagar, who was posted as Shahdol collector earlier in March this year has also been transferred. In his place, Kedar Singh has been appointed as Shahdol collector. Bhatnagar has been made deputy secretary, animal husbandry. Sanjeev Jha, Chambal commissioner, was transferred as member, Revenue Board, Gwalior. The charge of Chambal division has been given to Gwalior commissioner Manoj said, "The integrity of SEBI, the securities regulator entrusted with safeguarding the wealth of small retail investors, has been gravely compromised by the allegations against its Chairperson." 4Continued on | P6 21 IPS officers transferred Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL tween 2 am and 4 am on August 10 when they came in contact with a broken hightension line in the field and died due to electric shock. When farmer Jagdish Mandavlia reached the farm on Sunday afternoon, he informed the police about the incident. The police sent the three bodies to the government hospital for post-mortem at 3.30 pm. Khachrod police station in-charge Dhansingh Narwaya said the youths were identified as Sarwan, 40, In a major reshuffle, the state government has transferred, 21 Indian Police Services officers, here on Saturday late night. The superintendents of police of eight districts have also been shifted. ADG Shahdol DC Sagar has been transferred to PHQ and he has been appointed as ADG complaints. IG posted in CID Bhopal, Anurag Sharma will hold the charge of IG Shahdol, he will be going retire after 13 months. When he was posted in Bhopal, he was promoted from DIG to IG this year, he was posted in CID. DIG Krishna Vani Desavatu Amit Sanghi were successful in their effort of getting transferred. Krishna Van Desavatu wanted to come to Bhopal. Whereas Amit Sanghi wanted to go from Bhopal to Gwalior. Efforts were going on for a long time for both of them to go to each other's post. The efforts of both were successful and Krishna Vaini has been made DIG SAF Central Range, while Amit Sanghi from DIG SAF Central Range has been made DIG Gwalior. Amit Sanghi has also been SP in Gwalior. DIG Khargone range Atul Singh to hold the charge of DIG SAF Jabalpur range. DIG at PHQ, Siddhart Bahuguna is transferred as DIG Khargone range. SP Morena Shailesh Singh is given the charge of commandant 13th SAF Gwalior. Commandant 13th SAF Gwalior Raghuwansh Kumar Singh is appointed as commandant 5th SAF Morena. 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 Khatri. Sanjeev Singh, who was sent to loop line seven months ago as Environmental Planning and Coordination Organisation (EPCO) executive director, has now been appointed as Bhopal commissioner. He has replaced Pawan Sharma who is going on Central deputation. Ansul Gupta, deputy secretary at CM Secretariat, has been appointed as director, public relations. Meanwhile, Girish Kumar Mishra, collector Balaghat, has been posted as collector Rajgarh, Somesh Mishra as collector Mandla, 4Continued on | P6 13-year-old electrocuted while playing cricket 3 electrocuted while catching pigeons NEW DELHI UJJAIN A 13-year-old boy died due to electrocution when he came in contact with an electric pole while playing cricket in the Ranhola area of outer Delhi, police said on Sunday. The team got to know that the boy, who was playing cricket in Kotla Vihar Phase-2, got electrocuted when he came in contact with an iron pole carrying electricity to a gaushala, DCP Chiram said. "He was rushed to hospital but he was declared brought dead," said police. Three people were electrocuted to death when they went to catch pigeons in the forest under the Khachrod police station area in Ujjain district in the early hours of Sunday. The bodies of the three youths from Nayan village of Ratlam district were found in a field near village Ramatlai, about 10 km from Khachrod, on Sunday afternoon. The trio, after catching pigeons at a well, was going to another well through a deserted path be- FP News Service E-paper Edit A mere silver for 140 crore Indians P.8 REJOINDER lSEBI head refutes short-seller’s charges Briefs MUMBAI SEBI junks real estate theory FP Desk MUMBAI The Securities and Exchange Board of India on Sunday, in a detailed statement, rejected the allegation that changes in the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) rules benefited a multinational company, where Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Buch's husband Dhaval Buch was employed. 4Continued on | P6 US wanted Hasina to hand over key island? FPJ News Service NEW DELHI It might have remained a mystery what Sheikh Hasina wanted to tell the nation before she resigned as Prime Minister, were it not for her decision to break the vow of silence. That speech, it will be recalled, was never delivered, as the protesters barged into her palace and the country's top security officers advised her to leave Dhaka at the earliest. Now, safely ensconced in India, the 76-year-old has spoken up about the mystifying undelivered speech, accessed by NDTV. In a letter, Sheikh Hasina has accused the US of plotting to oust her regime and claimed that she could have remained in power if she had surrendered the sovereignty of the strategic Saint Martin Island which would have given America control of the Bay of Bengal. The innocuous sounding island drew attention when allegations flew thick and fast that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, had planned to sell it to the US to build a military base in ex- Late night, Hasina's son refuted reports that she has blamed the US of plotting a regime change change for help in winning elections. However, these claims were rejected by the US State Department, which emphasised its commitment to respecting Bangladesh's sovereignty and promoting democracy through free and fair elections. Relations between the US and Bangladesh had touched a low ebb during Sheikh Hasina's term so much so that Washington DC had said the January elections in which Awami League returned to power were not free or fair. Months before her exit, Sheikh Hasina had claimed that "conspiracies" were being hatched to topple her government and alleged a "white man's" plot to carve a new "Christian country" out of Two pilots hurt in trainer plane crash Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Two pilots were injured after a trainer aircraft belonging to a private aviation academy crashed at an airstrip in Guna district on Sunday, police said. Guna Cantt police station in-charge Dileep Rajoria said that the two-seater Cessna 152 plane crashed at around 1.30 pm, possibly due to engine failure, after remaining airborne for 40 minutes. The aircraft take off from the airstrip at 12.30 pm. Two pilots on board the plane suffered injuries but were out of danger and have been admitted to a hospital here. The plane arrived here a few days ago for testing and maintenance, the official said. The injured pilots, V Chandra Thakur and Nagesh Kumar, were from Hyderabad, he said, adding that aviation officials will carry out a detailed probe. Guna tehsildar GS Bairwa said Sha-Shib Flying Academy's manager, Parag Das, informed that the trainee aircraft arrived in Guna some months ago from Karnataka's Belagavi Aviation and Sports Enterprises. Bangladesh and Myanmar. "If I allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then I would have had no problem," she had said in May. In her undelivered speech, Hasina asked the people not to be manipulated by radicals." If I had stayed on, more lives would have been lost. I have removed myself. You were my strength, you did not want me, so I have left," it adds. In her message to her party members, she said Awami League has always bounced back. "Don't lose hope. I will return soon. I have lost but the people of Bangladesh have won, the people for whom my father, my family died," the speech adds. 4Continued on | P6 12 jump off train in panic, hurt PTI NEW DELHI Twelve passengers were injured when they jumped out of a slow-moving train in panic after some men operated a fire extinguisher and its fumes filled a coach near Uttar Pradesh's Bilpur on Sunday. The incident took place in a general coach of the Howrah-Amritsar Mail in the morning near Bilpur station, which falls under the Moradabad division, an official of the Northern Railway said. Passengers pulled the alarm chain for an emergency stop and jumped out of the train in panic, while it was still moving, the official said and added that " 12 passengers were injured". 4Continued on | P6 offgrid MP govt should give more jobs to sportspersons: Vivek Sagar Rishita Tomar BHOPAL Olympic bronze medallist Vivek Sagar Prasad has urged the Madhya Pradesh government to provide more opportunities for local sportspersons, citing that the job placements in the sports quota are fewer compared to other states. As a member of the Indian hockey team that won bronze at the Paris Olym- pics, Vivek, who hails from Itarsi (Narmadapuram), shared his insights with Free Press on topics including the controversial semifinal penalty stroke and Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification. Excerpts: How does it feel to stand on the podium for two consecutive Olympics? Standing on the podium for two consecutive Olympics is an indescribable feeling. It’s a mix of pride, relief, and sheer joy. It feels like all the challenges, the ups and downs were worth it. And the pride we feel in representing our country is second to none. In the opening match against New Zealand, your goal gave India an early lead. How important is it to score in the opener to boost morale? Scoring in the opening match is incredibly important for boosting the individual’s and team’s morale. It not only provides a crucial lead but also sets a positive tone for the rest of the tournament. That goal helped me build confidence and momentum, both individually and collectively. As a midfielder, your role is crucial in both attack and defense. How do you manage these responsibilities, especially during high-pressure matches? You could say that the role of a midfielder is like the backbone of the team, as they must support both offensively and defensively. Midfielders need to stay constantly alert and maintain a delicate balance. For instance, if I advance forward to support an attack, I can’t stay up front; I need to quickly return to my defensive position to help safeguard our goal. This constant switching between roles requires proper alertness on the field. In the semi-final match against Germany, everyone questioned the referee’s decision to give Germany a penalty stroke. What did you all think about it? The ball appeared to be going out, but it wasn’t visible on the video camera, which should have at least resulted in a penalty corner, not a stroke. Despite this, we discussed it and de- cided not to let it distract us. We focused on scoring a fair goal so that no one could deny it. It was Sreejesh’s last dance, and the entire squad wanted to win it for him. How did that motivation influence the overall performance? We were determined to win this for our goalkeeper, the great Wall Sreejesh. 4Continued on | P6