Tuesday, December 2, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 49 | 30 Pages NATIONAL POLLUTION CONTROL DAY THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation NATION Nirmala Sitharaman introduces Bills to impose tax on tobacco, cess on pan masala GAMES SEC FACES BACKLASH Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI 4Contd on | nation 4See also | city Briefs DoT orders mandatory Sanchar Saathi app The Department of Telecommunications has directed all mobile phone manufacturers and importers to pre-install its fraud-reporting app, Sanchar Saathi, on every new handset within 90 days. Devices already in sales channels must receive the app via software updates. Companies must file compliance reports within 120 days. Sanchar Saathi allows users to report IMEI misuse, verify device authenticity, and flag fraudulent calls or lost phones. MONEY Fugitives owe `57k cr plus The government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday that Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Nitin Sandesara are among 15 individuals declared Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEOs) as on October 31 for causing more than Rs 57,000 crore in bank losses. MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said these offenders were designated FEOs under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. Of the total losses, Rs 26,645 crore represents the principal amount. MONEY Never in history has an election been deferred once the process reached this point. I don’t know on what grounds or whose advice this decision was taken Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra Chief Minister SEC yellow cards 20 leaders Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has identified 20 senior political leaders for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct during the ongoing municipal council and nagar panchayat elections. The list includes several prominent figures from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, raising political temperatures as polling draws nearer. Those under the scanner include Water Supply Minister and Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil, Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, Deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, and Deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. BJP leader Chitra Wagh has also been SC cap stalls polls Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI The fate of elections in 17 Zila Parishads across Maharashtra remains uncertain after the Supreme Court allowed polls only in districts where OBC reservation stays within the 50 per cent constitutional ceiling. While elections in 15 Zila Parishads are expected to proceed, the remaining 17 may be postponed pending further clarity from the court. Maharashtra has 32 Zila Parishads, and in 17 of them the reservation for OBCs exceeds the permitted limit, preventing the State Election Commission (SEC) from finalising the poll schedule. “We will strictly comply with the Supreme Court order. The court has allowed elections only where reservation does not cross the 50 per cent cap,” SEC Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said. He added that the SEC will wait for the next hearing on January 21, when the reservation breach may be reviewed. “At this stage, we are not considering elections in districts above the limit. The court has not given directions on those seats, so we will wait. Whatever the Supreme Court orders, we will follow,” he said. 4Contd on | nation RUBAIYA SAYEED KIDNAPPING 36 years later, one more held by CBI named. SEC officials have not released the remaining names. According to officials, some leaders allegedly tried to lure voters with promises such as “Laxmi Darshan,” while others issued veiled threats, suggesting development funds could be withheld if voters did not support their party candidates. 4Contd on | nation SC OKs Maha delimitation The SC on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the validity of Maharashtra’s local body delimitation, stressing it will not allow any move that delays polls already stalled since 2022. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi rejected petitioner Nikhil Kolekar’s argument that SEC improperly delegated its powers to divisional commissioners. Upholding Bombay HC’s refusal to interfere, the bench said elections must proceed without further impediments, though it kept the legal question open. SRINAGAR the abduction carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) on December 8, 1989. Rubaiya was taken while returning from Lal Ded maternity hospital. 4Contd on | nation Edit Indo-Russia Summit: A hedge against a changing world Govt open to SIR debate Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI The Opposition mounted a fierce protest in both Houses of Parliament on the opening day of the Winter Session on Monday, targeting the government over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The issue triggered repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha, leading to multiple adjournments, while in the Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs staged a walkout after newly appointed Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan rejected their demand for an immediate discussion. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Upper House that the government was not averse to holding a debate on SIR or broader electoral reforms, but urged the Opposition not to insist on setting a timeline. His assurance did little to pacify the Opposition, which had come prepared for a confrontation. PM cautions against House disruptions This turbulence unfolded despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s morning appeal urging the Opposition to avoid “drama” and instead engage constructively on key policy matters. His remarks appeared to harden, rather than soften, the O p p o s i t i o n ’s Scan & Watch stance. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation Kharge spars with Nadda on Dhankhar Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar FPJ News Service NEW DELHI MUMBAI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Parliament is not a place for “theatrics or slogans”, but rather a space where the “focus must be on policy” and intent must be clear. Speaking to the media ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, Modi also noted that “some parties have started a new tradition of using Parliament for their state-level politics” and urged them to reflect on this practice. The Prime Minister emphasised that the session is not merely a ritual, insisting it would be one that “energises the ongoing efforts to move the nation rapidly toward progress.” Modi also shared posts on “X”, writing that “India has proven that democracy can deliver” and that “this Winter Session will infuse new energy into our efforts to take the nation forward at an even faster pace.” Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Monday referred to the “unexpected and sudden exit” of former VicePresident Jagdeep Dhankhar while welcoming his successor, CP Radhakrishnan, prompting protests from the Treasury benches, which said it was inapt for the occasion. On Radhakrishnan’s first day in the Chair, Kharge alluded to PM Modi’s remarks at the start of the Winter Session, saying the Opposition would respond in due course. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation ED sends notice to Kerala CM FPJ News Service MUMBAI The ED has issued a Rs 467crore FEMA contravention show-cause notice to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, former finance minister Thomas Issac, and the CM’s chief principal secretary KM Abraham in the KIIFB Masala Bond case, officials said on Monday. The November 12 notice was issued by the designated ED Adjudicating Authority under FEMA. It pertains to alleged breach of FEMA provisions and RBI’s master directions by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and its top functionaries, amounting to Rs 466.91 crore. The notices have been served on Vijayan in his capacity as KIIFB chairman; on Issac as the board’s vice-chairman; and on Abraham as KIIFB CEO, in addition to the institution itself. The state government has previously denied any wrongdoing. KIIFB, a statutory body, had floated a ‘Masala Bond’ on the London and Singapore stock exchanges in 2019, raising Rs 2,672.80 crore through rupeedenominated bonds under the External Commercial Borrowing route. The funds were meant to support reconstruction and infrastructure development following the devastating 2018 floods. 4Contd on | nation UP logs 8th BLO death Biswajeet Banerjee MORADABAD A Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Uttar Pradesh died by suicide after allegedly facing intense pressure to meet targets under the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The officer, 42-year-old assistant teacher Survesh Singh, left behind a three-page handwritten note expressing fear, exhaustion and deep mental distress. This is the eighth such death in the state. Earlier, three BLOs had died by suicide, three had died of heart attacks, and one had died of a brain haemorrhage. Addressed to the Basic Shiksha Adhikari and the District Election Officer, the note said that despite working day and night, Survesh was unable to complete the assigned task. He wrote that the pressure had pushed him into a state of fear and sleeplessness. “My family encouraged me, but I failed. I feel very scared,” he wrote. 4Contd on | nation Tension at CEO’s office Tension erupted outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Kolkata after members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee held a protest while Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLAs arrived to submit a deputation. The protesters accused BJP leaders of ignoring BLOs who died due to “work pressure”. After meeting CEO Manoj Agarwal, Adhikari alleged that 1.25 crore fake voter names were added through I-PAC between December 26 and 28, and urged the EC to use AI to verify the entries. SC for nationwide CBI probe Jaishankar bats for biosecurity shield SC said ‘the gravity and enormity of the DIGITAL ARRESTS FPJ News Service NEW DELHI M Saleem Pandit The CBI on Monday arrested Shafat Ahmad Shungloo from Ishber Nishat in Srinagar in connection with the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. It marks another step in a case that has remained unresolved for nearly 36 years and has had a lasting impact on J&K security situation. Shungloo, son of Saif-udDin, was allegedly involved in Cinema Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Raj Nidimoru officially married Dale Steyn is all praise for Virat Kohli’s hunger and passion for the game BITTER REACTION | State Election Commission roundly criticized for its last minute decision to postpone polls to 24 municipal councils, some nagar panchayats and 154 ward seats The State Election Commission’s (SEC) abrupt decision to postpone elections to 24 municipal councils, several nagar panchayats and 154 ward seats until December 20 has drawn sharp criticism and triggered a political storm across Maharashtra. The order, issued barely a day before voting, left candidates, party workers and local leaders blindsided, many calling the move “unprecedented” and “unfair.” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis blasted the SEC, accusing it of “misinterpreting the law.” He said cancelling elections at such an advanced stage defied precedent. “Never in history has an election been deferred once the process reached this point. I don’t know on what grounds or whose advice this decision was taken,” he said on Monday. Clarifying its stand, the SEC said the postponement was restricted to specific local bodies to comply with provision 17(1)(b), which mandates a minimum period for withdrawal of nominations when a candidate files a legal appeal. Without adhering to this requirement, officials argued, the entire electoral process statewide would have been disrupted. To avoid a blanket delay, only selected polls were deferred. Before this clarification, BJP State President Ravindra Chavan had written to the SEC demanding an immediate rollback, calling the decision “unjust” and lacking valid justification. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too termed the move “unfortunate,” questioning the legality of halting polls after nominations, scrutiny, withdrawals and campaigning had concluded. Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch a full-scale investigation into digital arrest scams across India, calling for urgent and coordinated action as the crimes continue to spread rapidly. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said these scams require the “immediate attention” of the country's premier investigating agency. Taking note of information submitted by the amicus cu- crime can be judged by the fact that most of the States in one voice have stated that most of the time senior citizens have been targeted by fraudsters by various means’ riae, the Court highlighted three major categories of cybercrime now plaguing the country: digital arrest scams, investment scams and parttime job scams. It stressed that digital arrest cases must be taken up first. “Digital arrest scams require immediate attention of the premier investigating agency of the country. Therefore, we proceed with a clear direction that CBI shall firstly investigate cases on digi- tal arrests scam. The other categories of scams shall be taken up in the next stages,” the Court ordered, Live Law and Bar & Bench report. To strengthen the probe, the Court gave the CBI complete freedom to investigate the role of bankers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, especially where bank accounts were opened to facilitate these scams. 4Contd on | nation PTI NEW DELHI India on Monday called for a stronger global system to prevent the misuse of biological weapons amid an increasingly uncertain international security environment. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that the “misuse” of biological weapons by non-state actors is no longer a distant threat and stressed the need for deeper international cooperation to deal with the challenge. Speaking at a conference marking 50 years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), Jaishankar said rapid technological advances have made sophisticated biotechnology tools more accessible, and the falling costs of sequencing and synthesis have added to global risks. He said recent outbreaks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, “have imposed a steep learning curve for policymakers and practitioners alike” and raised new questions for the implementation of the BWC. “Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the international community has to be adequately prepared for. Yet the BWC still lacks basic institutional structures,” he said. 4Contd on | nation Musk’s partner has Indian roots, SCENE SET FOR US LAND ACTION ON VENEZUELA? his son a ‘Nobel name’ Sekhar Agencies PTI NEW YORK SpaceX CEO Elon Musk offered a personal glimpse into his family life during an interview with investor and entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath on his show ‘People by WTF’. Musk shared that his partner, Shivon Zilis, is “half-Indian” and that one of their sons carries a meaningful middle name, Sekhar, inspired by Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. “One of my sons with her is, his middle name is Sekhar, after Chandrasekhar,” Musk said, highlighting their tribute to the renowned astrophysicist. S. Chandrasekhar, an Indian-American scientist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 “for his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars.” When asked whether Zilis had spent time in India, Musk explained that her early years were far from conventional. “I think her father was like an exchange student at the university, or something like that. I’m not sure of the exact details, but, just kind of thing where I don’t know… she was given up for adoption,” he said. Musk added that Zilis was adopted as a baby and raised in Canada. Shivon Zilis, who currently serves as the Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink, was born in Markham, Ontario, to a Hindu Punjabi Indian mother and a White Canadian father, Sharda and Richard Zilis. WASHINGTON/CARACAS Elon Musk’s partner Shivon Zilis and children Tensions between Washington and Caracas reached a breaking point after a high-stakes phone call between President Donald Trump and Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro collapsed, setting the stage for possible U.S. land operations inside Venezuela. According to reports from the Miami Herald and The New York Times, the long-anticipated conversation, brokered with help from Brazil, Qatar and Turkey, was meant to de- fuse a rapidly escalating crisis. Instead, it laid bare an irreconcilable divide. Sources familiar with the exchange said Trump delivered a blunt message: Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores and their son could leave the country safely, but only if he resigned immediately. 4Contd on | nation