FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 31 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | JULY 15, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN WORLD Sports SINNER’S SERVE, ALERT ALCARAZ P.13 PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema BOLLYWOOD AT WIMBLEDON P.14 ‘Citizens must know value of Freedom of Speech, expression’ PTI The Supreme Court on Monday said citizens must know the value of the right of freedom of speech and expression, and exercise self restraint as it mulled guidelines to regulate offensive social media posts. A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan was hearing a plea of one Wazahat Khan booked in FIRs in several states, including West Bengal, for posting against a Hindu deity on X. "One of the fundamental duties is to uphold the unity and integrity of the country India. So that is being violated. See all these divisive tendencies, at least on social media, must be curbed," the court said. The top court continued, "But to what extent can the state curb? Instead, why can't the citizens themselves regulate themselves? Citizens must know the value of freedom of speech and expression. If they don't then the state will step in and who wants the state to step in? Nobody wants the state to step in (sic)." The top court, in the meantime, extended the interim protection from coercive action to Khan which was initially granted on June 23. He had filed a complaint against another social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli for allegedly making communal remarks in a video. Justice Nagarathna during the hearing said, "The citizens must know the value of the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. The State can step in case of violations. Nobody wants the State to step in (sic)." The bench observed the "divisive tendency" on social media had to be curbed. It added, "The freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right. But there is no self restraint and self regulation. if the citizens want to enjoy this fundamental right HC quashes re-test order in NEET-UG power outage case Our Staff Reporter INDORE Justice Sachdeva is MPHC CJ Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Monday was made Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. Earlier, he was assigned duty of Chief Justice of MP HC on May 23 this year following retirement of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait on May 23, 2025. Since then, he was working as acting chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. fp In a major ruling that will impact thousands of medical aspirants, Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday set aside an earlier order by single bench directing National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct a re-test for candidates who had claimed their NEET (UG) 2025 performance was severely affected by power outages during rains on the exam day, May 4. A division bench comprising of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwi- Shubhanshu sets off on return journey NEW DELHI In a landmark move to modernise parliamentary operations, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has unveiled a suite of digital and AIdriven (Artificial Intelligence) initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility for both Members of Parliament and the public. JAMMU Kavinder Gupta is Ladakh LG After holding key positions including as Deputy CM and J&K Assembly Speaker, BJP leader Kavinder Gupta is poised to start a new innings as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. Before closing, the bench issued advisories to the NTA and local administrations to ensure that future high-stakes exams are backed by full infrastructure readiness, especially with respect to uninterrupted power supply and proper lighting arrangements. In order to avoid such a situation in future, NTA as well as the local administration of each district are directed to ensure that all the measures {are taken], especially the continuity of power supply by way of regular supply or by way of alternate mode of supply, proper sitting arrangement, availability of air and cooling etc. It is the responsibility of the local administration to prepare the list of centres which can be used for these types of important examinations by any of the agencies , the bench stated. vedi allowed the appeals filed by the NTA and dismissed the petitions filed by candidates PTI NEW DELHI Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others of the commercial Axiom-4 mission on Monday embarked on a journey back to Earth as their Dragon Grace spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station - their home for the last 18 days. The Dragon spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 4:45 PM IST, a 10-minute delay from the original plan, and fired thrusters twice to move away from the orbital laboratory. The Axiom-4 crew, comprising Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz UznanskiWisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, spent approximately 433 hours or 18 days and 288 orbits around Earth, covering nearly 7.6 million miles since docking with the International Space Station on June 26. After hugs and handshakes, the four astronauts entered the Dragon spacecraft about two hours prior to undocking, donned their spacesuits and closed the hatch connecting the spacecraft to the ISS at 2:37 PM IST. 4Continued on | P8 'OBJECTIONABLE' POSTS ON PM, RSS Why do you do all this, apex court questions cartoonist PTI NEW DELHI competition become a conflict, adding that the ties can be built only on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. The external affairs minister said India hopes "zero tolerance for terrorism" will be upheld at the upcoming meeting of the SCO, 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 from Indore and Ujjain. 4Continued on | P8 ‘Competition should not turn into conflict’ PTI India and China should build on "good progress" in normalising the bilateral ties to address border-related issues including de-escalation, and it is essential to avoid "restrictive trade measures and roadblocks", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday during talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar said the bilateral relations can develop in a "positive trajectory" on the foundation that differences should not become disputes and nor should they will have to regulate themselves and there has to be some kind of self restraint." Referring to the observations of Justice Viswanathan, Justice Nagarathna said, "My learned brother rightly said that there should be fraternity between the citizens then all this hatred will come down." "We are not speaking about censorship. But in the interest of fraternity, secularism and dignity of individuals...We will have to go into this beyond this petition," the bench observed. The Supreme Court on Monday said the right of freedom of speech and expression was being "abused" while hearing the plea of a cartoonist accused of sharing alleged objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS workers on social media. "Why do you do all this?" a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar asked the counsel of cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who sought anticipatory bail in the matter. Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Malviya, said the matter was over a cartoon made in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. "It may be unpalatable. Let me say it is in poor taste. Let me go to that extent. But is it an offence? My lords have said, it can be offensive but it is not an offence. I am simply on law. I am not trying to justify anything," she said. Grover agreed to delete the post made by Malviya. "Whatever we may do with this case, but this is definitely the case that the freedom of speech and expression is being abused," Justice Dhulia observed. BEIJING/NEW DELHI Briefs LS ushers in AI era HC ASKS NTA TO ENSURE PROPER ARRANGEMENTS IN FUTURE EAM S Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Marriages considered sacrosanct by Hindus are at stake now because of small and trivial issues between couples, the Bombay High Court remarked while quashing a dowry harassment case against a man and his family members. The Nagpur bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and M M Nerlikar, in an order dated July 8, held that in matrimonial disputes, if a reunion is not possible, the same should be ended immediately to ensure the lives of the parties involved are not ruined. The bench was hearing a petition filed by a man and his family members seeking to quash a dowry harassment case registered against them by his estranged wife PTI CM BATS FOR DIRECT DUBAI FLIGHTS, INVESTMENT TIES NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging an order confirming the five-year extension of the ban imposed on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused to hear the plea against the July 24, 2024 order of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal. The tribunal was constituted under the UAPA after the Centre on January 29, 2024 decided to extend the ban on SIMI for five years. It was set up for adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring SIMI an outlawed organisation. SIMI was first declared outlawed in 2001 during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and since then the ban has been extended periodically. SIMI was established on April 25, 1977 in Aligarh Muslim University as a front organisation of youth and students, having faith in Jamait-e-Islami-Hind (JEIH). However, the organisation declared itself independent in 1993 through a resolution. On Monday, the counsel appearing for the petitioner said the tribunal confirmed the Centre's order of January 29, 2024 extending the ban on SIMI for the ninth time. Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL On the second day of his threeday visit to Dubai, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates Airlines and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. The meeting focused on possibility of launching direct flight services from Indore and Bhopal to Dubai. Discussions were also held on establishing a regional cargo hub in Madhya Pradesh. A positive exchange took place on joint investment in key areas such as Aviation Training, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of aircraft and training institutions. There was also serious consideration of setting up a campus of the Emirates Aviation Academy in the state. Addressing media later, CM said that the air ambulance sector offers strong potential, and Dubai is ready to collaborate on developments in Madhya Pradesh’s aviation sector. Dr. Yadav also held one-onone meetings with various investors, receiving meaningful suggestions in the wellness, DAY 2 OF UAE VISIT healthcare, energyand service sectors. Industrial cooperation Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, to strengthen economic and industrial cooperation under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Dr. Yadav invited UAE investment in sectors, including automobile, pharmaceuticals, textiles, defence manufacturing and smart manufacturing. He showcased emerging opportunities in Madhya Pradesh across multiple domains. Textile ties with Dubai During a visit to headquarters of TEXMAS, Chief Minister interacted with major textile merchants of Dubai. He discussed investment opportunities in the sector and underlined Madhya Pradesh’s progress in green textiles and organic cotton, positioning the state as a growing textile hub. 4Continued on | P8 Picnic turns tragic: 2 college students drown in Kolar dam Bodies recovered after 18-hour rescue; incident video surfaces Two minor girls drown in borewell Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Two college students from Bhopal drowned at Kolar dam on Sunday while bathing during a picnic outing. A total of four youths were present, out of whom three ventured into deep water. Two of them drowned. Their bodies were recovered after an 18-hourlong rescue operation carried out by SDRF team and local police.A video of the incident has since surfaced on social media, Bilkisganj police said on Monday. According to police officials, four college students — Prince Singh, Ujjwal Tripathi, Shailendra Dhakad and Satyam Patel — had arrived at Kolar dam on Sunday. The dam, located in the Bilkisganj police station area, was the site of a picnic for the group. They reportedly climbed the dam em- IANS Two minor girls have died after falling into an abandoned borewell filled with rainwater in Satna district, police said on Monday. The girls fell into the borewell at Hiloundha village in Nagaud tehsil at around 5 pm on Sunday, officials said bankment and trekked around one-and-a-half kilometers into a forested zone before entering the water to bathe. 4Continued on | P8 NURSE ON DEATH ROW IN YEMEN Nothing much that govt can do: Centre to SC PTI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI celestial ride A sea of devotees during Shravan’s first Shahi Sawari of Mahakal in Ujjain on Monday Pic by Anand Shivre ‘Marriage not just social contract but spiritual union’ PTI SC junks plea against extension of ban on SIMI DGCA directs airlines to check fuel control switches of Boeing fleet offgrid MUMBAI E-paper Edit Green warriors of Aarey Colony P.6 EU rides on deal hope, delays counter tariffs CURB ON DIVISIVE TENDENCY | SC for guidelines to regulate offensive social media posts NEW DELHI MUMBAI Small issues between a couple spoil their entire life, and marriage, which is sacrosanct in Hindus, is at stake Bombay High Court in December 2023. The estranged couple in- formed the court that they had settled their dispute and had been granted a divorce by mutual consent. The woman informed the court that she had no objection if the case was quashed, as she wished to move on with her life. The court, while quashing the case, said though the provisions pertaining to dowry harassment and unnatural sex of the Indian Penal Code and Dowry Prohibition Act are non-compoundable, to secure the ends of justice, courts can quash the proceedings. The court stated that considering the recent trend of filing cases against many persons from the husband's side, it has become imperative to look into matrimonial disputes from a different angle. 4Continued on | P8 The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed airlines to carry out checks on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft in their fleets. The move comes in the wake of the preliminary investigation report into last month's tragic Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad, in which 260 people were killed. One of the key findings of the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau's preliminary report on the crash was that the twin engines of the ill-fated Boeing plane shut down seconds after take-off as the fuel supply was cut off. The report raised fresh concerns over the aircraft's engine fuel cutoff switches, as they transitioned from 'Run' to 'Cutoff' just 3 seconds after take-off. The cockpit voice recording of the crashed plane revealed one pilot asking the other: "Why did you cut off?" to ‘No mechanical or maintenance issues found’ Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has urged calm and focus following the release of the preliminary investigation report into the AI171 accident, emphasising that the report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft involved in the June 12 tragedy which his colleague replied: "I didn't." The AAIB report also mentions FAA's 2018 bulletin that had warned of a potential malfunction of the fuel control switches, manufactured by US-based Honeywell, in a few Boeing models such as the 737s which also use the same switches. The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it was doing whatever was "utmost possible" to save an Indian nurse facing execution on July 16 for murder in Yemen, but "nothing much" could be done keeping in view the status of Yemen. "There is a point up to which the Government of India can go and we have reached that point," attorney general R Venkataramani informed a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. The top law officer said the government was keen to save its citizens and was doing "utmost possible" in the matter. "Having regard to the sensitivity and status of Yemen as a place, there is nothing much the Government of India can do," he said. He further referred to the Houthis in Yemen, saying it was not even diplomatically recognised.