Wednesday, April 16, 2025 | 30 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 165 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) NATION Tejashwi meets Kharge, Rahul to discuss Bihar poll preparedness Briefs Indices up 2 per cent Indian market indices climbed over 2% on Tuesday, after the US President relaxed some of the tariffs on electronics products, and hinted at a revision of tariffs on automobiles. Trump has upended global markets, but India has emerged as the first stock market in the world to recover from the losses induced by the reciprocal tariff chaos. Reflecting the rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex soared 2.10% and the NSE Nifty surged 2.19%. Investors’ wealth grew by Rs 18.42 lakh crore in two days. The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies increased to $ 4.81 trillion in two days. BSE sectoral indices closed in the green as BSE realty, auto, capital goods and industrials were top gainers, jumping up to 5%. IndusInd Bank,Tata Motors. L&T, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and HCL Tech were among the top gainers. In Asian markets, Kospi index, Nikkei 225, Shanghai SSE Composite and Hang Seng settled in the positive territory. Above normal rains in store Amid concerns over Saudi Arabia reportedly "cutting" India's private Haj quota this year, the government on Tuesday said the Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) had failed to comply with the necessary timelines set by the Saudi authorities despite reminders. The government also said that due to its intervention, the Saudi Haj Ministry has agreed to re-open the Haj Portal for the CHGOs to complete their work in respect of 10,000 pilgrims based on the current space availability in Mina. Edit Mehul Choksi must be tried in India CHARGESHEETED VADRA GRILLED (From Left ) Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday announced that it has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. Incidentally, both Sonia and Rahul are at present out on bail in the same case. They are accused of laundering Rs 988 crore. The central agency, which had begun investigations into the case on a complaint filed by Subramanian Swamy in 2012, has also named Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey as accused in its chargesheet.Sources said the other accused include Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd and Sunil Bhandari. Special judge Vishal Gogne examined the chargesheet, which was filed on April 9, on the point of cognisance and posted the matter for further proceedings on April 25. "The present prosecution complaint shall next be taken up for consideration on the aspect of cognisance before this court on April 25, 2025 when the special counsel for the ED and IO shall also ensure the production of the case diaries for perusal by the court," the judge said. "Let the complaint be checked and registered. The Ahlmad (court staff) shall ensure that the entire file/documents are properly paginated. The ED is directed to file a soft copy of the complaint and documents in readable/OCR format by the next date," the judge said. The ED investigation began in 2021 after a metropolitan magistrate in Patiala House courts in Delhi took cognisance of a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday recorded the statement of Robert Vadra, businessman and brother-in-law of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, for about five hours in a 2008 Haryana land deal-linked money laundering case, official sources said. He has been asked to depose again on Wednesday for continuing the grilling session, the sources said. REPORT ON NATION TN forms panel to push for more autonomy N Chithra CHENNAI In a significant political move aimed at redefining CentreState relations and reinforcing federal principles, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced the formation of a three-member highlevel committee to recommend steps to strengthen the autonomy of States. Making a suo motu statement under Rule 110 in the Legislative Assembly, Stalin emphasised that the time had come to revisit the constitutional framework guiding Indian federalism. The committee will be Stalin alleged that the Union government is shifting key subjects such as health, law, and finance from the State List to the Concurrent List, undermining State powers. chaired by Justice Kurian Joseph, retired judge of the Supreme Court. The other members are K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, retired IAS officer and former Vice-Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University, and M. Naganathan, former vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission. The committee has been tasked with a wide mandate: reviewing constitutional provi- China suspends purchase of over 150 Boeing jets TARIFF WARS 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation Elphinstone Bridge to remain open for now The planned closure of Mumbai’s 125-year-old Elphinstone Bridge has been postponed, with authorities yet to announce a new date for its shutdown. Originally slated to be closed to traffic from April 10, the bridge remains open, even as civic agencies continue infrastructure work in the vicin- ity. According to a draft notification issued by the Mumbai Traffic Police on April 8, the bridge was scheduled to shut down to facilitate demolition and reconstruction work. However, the notice also invited public suggestions and objections until April 13, a consultation period that has now ended without any formal update from officials. The delay has raised con- 40,000 cops to learn people-first skills cerns over coordination between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and the city’s traffic department. The bridge’s clo- Just 99 paise for 21 acres! Agencies HYDERABAD FPJ News Service MUMBAI Mumbai police personnel will be trained with people-first policing skills to enhance their professional conduct with citizens. Around 40,000 personnel will be trained under this citizen-centric training program in a period of 11 months. In a significant step towards strengthening citizen-centric policing in Mumbai, a special training program was launched to enhance the quality of public service and professional conduct for the Mumbai police. In a first-of-itskind skilling initiative, Mumbai Police aims to upskill 40,000 police personnel over the next 11 months, in partnership with Imarticus Learning. The program was launched in pres- ence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, where the initiative was started by training 500 handpicked master trainers. In October 2023, Maharashtra government provided the administrative approval to organise a training program under the Mission Karmayogi initiative for police officers and staff of Mumbai’s commissioner of police, to create motivation to serve the citizens. 4Contd on | nation India’s IT industry was at fever pitch on Tuesday as the Andhra Pradesh government has approved the allotment of 21.16 acres of land to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Visakhapatnam—for a token price of just 99 paise. AP’s move is to transform the city Vizag into a major technology and innovation hub in the world. The step follows months of talks initiated by AP’s IT Minister Nara Lokesh. TCS, recognised as a top employer in six continents, plans to begin operations in 90 days, and eventually employ 10,000 people. The move signals AP’s ambition to attract top technology investments. sure was expected to cause significant traffic disruptions in the area, prompting authorities to formulate diversion plans well in advance. 4Contd on | nation Four men have been caught smuggling ants, each thought to fetch as much as $220 in exotic pet markets, out of Kenya. That's close to 20,00 rupees in Indian currency per ant. A Nairobi court adjourned to April 23 the sentencing of four men who pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle hundreds of highly soughtafter ants out of Kenya in what conservation officials Each giant African harvester ant, gowing upto 20 mm in length, costs upto $220 in the exotic pet market are calling a “landmark case” of biopiracy. The accused – two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan – admitted to attempting to illegally export the giant African harvester ant (Messor cephalotes), a rare species prized by exotic pet collectors. Some dealers in the UK value a single ant at up to £170 ($220), making the consignment potentially worth tens of thousands of dollars, Capital News reported. The insects were meticulously concealed in specially modified test tubes and syringes packed with cotton wool, allowing them to survive for up to two months. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) described the method as a “calculated attempt to PTI NEW DELHI 4Contd on | nation COMPENSATION POLICY RETAIL INFLATION CLEARED BY CABINET @ 6-YEAR CUSTODIAL DEATHS Prajakta Pol MUMBAI In a significant move to uphold human rights, the state cabinet on Tuesday approved a policy to compensate the families of prison inmates who die in custody under unnatural circumstances, in line with the National Human Rights Commission’s guidelines. As per this policy, if an inmate dies due to an accident while working in prison, medical negligence by prison doctors, assault by prison staff, or in fights among inmates and if the administration is found negligent after an investigation the inmate’s If an inmate dies in an accident while working in prison, medical negligence by prison doctors, assault by prison staff, or in fights among inmates and if the administration is found negligent, the inmate’s family will be given compensation of `5 lakh. LOW FPJ News Service MUMBAI bypass security systems” by disguising the containers’ contents. The men were apprehended at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in a coordinated, intelligenceled operation involving the KWS, Kenya Airports Police Unit, and other agencies. Their arrest is being hailed as a major breakthrough in efforts to stem a growing wave of wildlife crimes targeting lesser-known species. Despite the US President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs— the mother of all cost shocks — hitting the global economy, India’s retail inflation declined to a six-year low of 3.34% in March 2025 as against 4.85% recorded in March 2024. “Inflation data is hard to define as it includes actual measurement and estimates of aggregate economic activity and conditions. India’s retail inflation of 3.4% is the lowest year-on-year inflation after August 2019. “Though risks are evenly balanced around the baseline projections of economic growth, uncertainties remain high in the wake of the recent spurt in global volatility,” opined economic gurus. The significant fall in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of March 2025 is mainly attributed to decline in price rise of vegetables, eggs, pulses and products, meat and fish, cereals and products and milk and milk-products, according to the data released by Ministry of Statistics on Tuesday. Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month of March 2025 over March 2024 is 2.69%. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation family will be given compensation of ₹5 lakh. In cases of suicide in custody, the inmate’s family will receive ₹1 lakh as compensation. This policy will be applicable across all prisons in the state. However, no compensation will be given if the inmate dies due to old age, prolonged illness, while escaping from prison, while out on bail, or due to refusal of treatment. Action will be taken against officers found responsible in such death cases. In the case of death caused by natural disasters, compensation will be provided according to the government’s existing policy. For compensation claims, the prison superintendent must submit a preliminary report along with postmortem details, panchnama, medical report, and investigation reports from the judiciary and district collector to the regional department head. 4Contd on | nation Ant smuggling? Kenya court hears landmark case AGENCIES ‘B’desh link to Bengal violence’ 4Contd on | nation offgrid NAIROBI 4Contd on | nation try as saying in a statement. It quoted Wang as telling nelson that China hoped Boeing would play a positive role in maintaining the stability and health of the global aviation industry ecosystem while also contributing to the development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations. Shares of Boeing, which looks at China as one of its biggest growth markets and where rival Airbus  holds a dominant position, were down 3% in premarket trading. Airbus shares were up  Agencies China has ordered its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing jets in response to 145% US tariffs on Chinese goods, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. The move ironically comes just weeks after the Chinese Commerce Minister met with Boeing authorites seeking greater cooperation in the expanding aviation sector. On March China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with President of Boeing Global Brendan Nelson and called on the planemaker to deepen cooperation with China's aviation industry, Retuers news agency reported the commerce minis- sions, laws, and policies governing Centre-State dynamics; recommending ways to restore subjects shifted from the State List to the Concurrent List; suggesting reforms for administrative autonomy; and considering earlier recommendations from commissions like the Rajamannar, Sarkaria, and Punchhi Commissions. With disturbance over protests against the amended Waqf law spreading in West Bengal, the Union home ministry is closely monitoring activities in sensitive border districts as an initial probe into the Murshidabad violence indicated the involvement of "Bangladeshi" miscreants. The preliminary findings also suggested that the miscreants might have initially received assistance from local Trinamool Congresss leaders who later lost control over these elements. According to government sources, the ministry has been apprised of the findings. Union home secretary Govind Mohan is in constant touch with West Bengal's chief secretary and the BEIJING MUMBAI Haj portal: Govt nudge Cinema Who plays whom in the upcoming Harry Potter series? MS Dhoni feels CSK batters will show better performances if surfaces are better NATIONAL HERALD CASE | Enforcement Directorate accuses Sonia and Rahul Gandhi of money laundering; also names Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey Kamal Mishra & Poonam Apraj India is expected to get above-normal rainfall in the upcoming southwest monsoon season, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday. According to the long-range monsoon forecast, the IMD said "India is likely to see above-normal rainfall in the four-month monsoon season (June to September), with cumulative rainfall estimated at 105 per cent (with a model error of 5 per cent) of the longperiod average of 87 cm."The southwest monsoon lasts from June 1 to September 30. “There is a 30 per cent chance of normal rainfall, a 33 per cent chance of above-normal rainfall, and a 26 per cent chance of excess precipitation during the monsoon season," IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said. According to the IMD, rainfall between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 87 cm is considered 'normal'. Rainfall less than 90 per cent of the long-period average is considered 'deficient', between 90 per cent and 95 per cent is 'below normal', between 105 per cent and 110 per cent is 'above normal', and more than 110 per cent is considered 'excess' precipitation. GAMES