FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 233 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 5, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports RCB aim for equality, DC fight history in epic WPL finale P.14 fp Briefs IMPHAL Khemchand is new CM of Manipur BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday became the 13th Chief Minister of Manipur, nearly a year after the resignation of BJP leader N Biren Singh following months of ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the state, leading to the imposition of President's Rule. The 62-year-old leader was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at a ceremony held at the Lok Bhavan, hours after the President's rule was revoked in the violence-hit Manipur. KOLKATA Emergency landing at Kol airport A Turkish Airlines widebody plane made an emergency landing at Kolkata Airport after the pilot declared a fire in the aircraft's right engine, the Civil Aviation Ministry said. The flight was on way to Istanbul from Kathmandu, it said in a statement. The Airbus A330-300 having flight number THY 727 took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport with 236 passengers on board, including 11 crew members, around 1.15 pm. The pilot reported the malfunction in one of the two engines during the climb, an official said. NEW DELHI ‘Conduct fair probe against ADAG firms’ Voicing displeasure over the "unexplained delay" in investigations, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CBI and the ED to conduct a "fair", "prompt" and "dispassionate probe into alleged massive banking and corporate fraud to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore involving Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), Anil Ambani and group companies. Anil Ambani, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, assured the top court that he will not leave the country without its prior nod when PIL petitioner and former bureaucrat EAS Sarma apprehended that he may flee. PTI India is free to buy oil from any country, and there is nothing new about its decision to diver- iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK No PM speech as uproar forces LS adjournment IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Parliament, slated for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, is understood to have been postponed, as the Lok Sabha was adjourned till Thursday morning, over continued uproar and vociferous sloganeering from the Opposition members. As the Lok Sabha reconvened at 5 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss the Motion of Thanks to President's address, the GOVT SCARED, SAYS PRIYANKA ongress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday alleged that the government is not allowing Rahul to speak in Parliament as it is scared that the unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief M M Naravane reveals what the reaction of the country's top leadership was when China was at our borders. C House plunged into chaos with Opposition members erupting in protest, apparently enraged over denial of permission to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to rake up excerpts from an unpublished book, containing the memoirs of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane. Sandhya Ray, officiating as the House Chairman, made an appeal to the lawmakers to stay seated and not disrupt the proceedings but her appeals went unheeded. 4Continued on | P8 INDORE Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed authorities to demolish illegal structures located within 200 metres of Kshipra river after a report submitted by the state government revealed that at least 150 structures were present in the restricted area. Hearing a writ petition filed by Satyanarayan against the Union of India and others, a Division Bench comprising Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi reviewed the State’s com- Opposition MPs protest in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday ith the Lok Sabha proceedings getting stalled over fierce exchanges between the government and Opposition, the bitterness and bad blood only seem to be intensifying, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey making it a battle of books -- between unpublished and published ones. During his speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the BJP MP referenced a couple of published books on former Prime Minister late Jawaharlal Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten and made damaging accusations. W pliance report submitted following earlier court directions. As per the report placed before the court, the State government has identified a large number of constructions that violate the Ujjain Master Plan-2025. The report states that 80 buildings have been found within the prohibited area in Zone-1, while 29 constructions Mass sister suicide rocks Ghaziabad 3 minor sisters jump to death, Korean game to be blamed Biswajeet Banerjee GHAZIABAD A chilling family tragedy unfolded in Ghaziabad’s Bharat City area when three minor sisters allegedly jumped to their deaths from the ninth floor of a residential tower, with police investigations pointing towards extreme addiction to a task-based online Korean game and a family dispute over mobile phone use. The incident occurred in Bharat City Society’s B-1 Tower, flat number 907, under the Teelamod police station limits. The deceased have been identified as Nishika, 16, Prachi, 14, and Paaki, 12, daughters of Chetan Kumar. Police said they received information about the incident at 2.18 am, following which teams rushed to the spot. THE TRAGEDY According to the family and police officials, the three sisters were sleeping in the same room while their parents were in another room. Late at night, the girls allegedly locked their room from inside and jumped out of the window. The parents said they heard a loud noise and rushed towards the room, finding it locked. After breaking open the door and not finding the girls inside, they ran downstairs and saw all three lying critically injured on the ground. The distance from the ninth floor to the ground is around 80 feet. 4Continued on | P8 sify its crude suppliers, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. "We, along with all other international energy experts, are well aware that Russia is not the only supplier of oil and petro- leum products to India. India has always purchased these products from other countries. Therefore, we see nothing new here," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. P.10 CM in Delhi to discuss the issue Our Staff Reporter Stop illegal mining in 9 quarries: NGT Orders review of 237 ECs Our Staff Reporter THE BATTLE OF BOOKS Besides, the court has reiterated its interim ban on all construction activities within 200 metres of the river Govt may not give nod to prosecute Vijay Shah BHOPAL HC orders removal of nearly 150 structures within 200m of Kshipra Our Staff Reporter E-paper Cinema Ek Bhookha Magarmach! P.16 PARLIAMENT DRAMA | Women MPs from Oppn marched towards Treasury benches ahead of PM’s scheduled reply NEW DELHI MUMBAI Edit Finally, a CM for Manipur Over 28L homes get `16K cr aid under PM Surya Ghar scheme INDIA FREE TO BUY OIL FROM ANY SUPPLIER: KREMLIN MOSCOW ESTD-1983 were identified in Zone-2 and 34 in Zone-3. In addition, 13 constructions in Zone-6 were also found to be within 200 metres of the riverbank. The court noted the submission of the State counsel that, in compliance with earlier interim orders, no fresh construction is currently being permitted within the restricted zone along the Kshipra river. The State further assured the court that action for removal of illegal constructions would now be undertaken in accordance with law and with due promptness. 4Continued on | P8 RAHUL CALLS BITTU ‘TRAITOR’ ongress leader Rahul Gandhi kicked up a firestorm on Wednesday when he called Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor", prompting the BJP to accuse him of insulting the entire Sikh community and demand that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla takes action against him. C 4Continued on | P8 IANS RIYADH N a tional Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Saudi counterpart, Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, on Wednesday, discussed bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and other issues of shared interest. "NSA Ajit Doval held a productive meeting with the Saudi Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser, Musaed bin Mohammed AlAiban. U19WC: INDIA IN FINALS BHOPAL The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Zone Bench, Bhopal, has ordered an immediate halt to sand mining in nine quarries in Madhya Pradesh and directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to review over 237 allegedly illegal environmental clearances (ECs) and report back within four weeks. The green court found that the clearances were granted without SEIAA approval and restrained miners who obtained ECs through illegal means. The order, passed on February 3 this year, followed an application by Monu Raja, which raised concern about 237 ECs issued under “deemed approval” provisions. According to the petition, the ECs were allegedly issued by executive officers without placing proposals before SEIAA, which is legally required to make collective decisions in formal meetings. 4Continued on | P8 Excise commissioner suspends licences of Som Distilleries units NSA Doval meets Saudi counterpart 4Continued on | P8 The state government is contemplating against giving approval for the prosecution of the minister, Vijay Shah, for his statement against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The government has to take a decision over whether it should give approval for the prosecution and submit a reply to the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case on February 9. The SIT sought the government’s permission to prosecute Shah under section 196 1 (A) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the party’s state president, Hemant Khandelwal, visited Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the issue with the senior leaders. According to sources, the BJP is against giving permission to prosecute a minister of its government. But what the apex court says on the government’s decision is important. Our Staff Reporter FLASHBACK... BHOPAL he action, under Section 31(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Excise Act, comes after a December 23, 2023, verdict by Additional Session Judge, Depalpur, which imposed imprisonment and fines on accused, including Umashankar Sharma and G D Arora. Following the verdict, show-cause notices were issued to the distilleries asking why their licences should not be cancelled. In a decisive crackdown on illegal liquor operations, Excise Commissioner Abhijeet Agrawal on Wednesday suspended multiple licences of Som Distilleries Private Limited, Sehatganj (Raisen) and Som Distilleries and Breweries Limited, Rojrachak (Raisen) following allegations of fake permits and illegal transportation of liquor. Som Distilleries Private Limited, Sehatganj, had its D 1 licence (No. 35/2021/0001), FL 9 licence (No. 35/2021/0003), CS 1 licences (Nos. 41/2025-26 to 47/2025-26), and CS 1-B licence (No. 35/2021/0014) suspended. Similarly, Som Distilleries and Breweries Limited, Rojrachak, faced suspension of FL 9 licence (No. 35/2021/0004), FL 9 A licence (No. 35/2025/0031), B 3 licence (No. 35/2021/0002), and DL 9 A of B 3 licence (No. T Public hearings, impact studies ignored he case focused on 10 sand mining leases where mandatory public hearings were allegedly flouted. Nine quarries were granted ECs without proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Management Plans (EMP) or replenishment studies, despite Supreme Court directions in Deepak Kumar vs State of Haryana and subsequent NGT rulings. Several leases were also located in areas submerged under water most of the year, where mining has been previously prohibited. T NGT’s directions ribunal found that ECs were issued by executive officers without SEIAA appraisal or approval violated Sections 2, 3, and 6 of the EIA Notification, 2006. Such clearances have no legal force. Mining in the affected quarries is halted immediately, and SEIAA must re-examine all cases strictly according to law. T SC notice to NBEMS, NMC, central govt on zero percentile in NEET-PG Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL 35/2025/0032). The units replied that they had approached the Indore High Court, which stayed the punishment order. Any direct action could have amounted to contempt. The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the decision of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), National Medical Commission (NMC) and central government to reduce qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025-26. Doctors’ bodies have filed the PIL. SC will hear the matter on February 6. The petition assails the notice dated January 13 issued by NBEMS reducing the qualifying cut-off. Petitioners contend the cut-off has been lowered to abnormally low levels, including zero and negative percentiles. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 PEOPLE BULLDOZED: Mamata argues in SC PTI NEW DELHI Player of the Match Aaron George in full flow during his magnificent 115-run knock against Afghanistan in the second semifinal of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup at Harare Sports Ground on Wednesday. Chasing a formidable 311, India rode on George’s masterclass, complemented by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blistering 68 off 33 balls and skipper Ayush Mhatre’s composed 62 off 59, to seal victory in just 41.1 overs with three wickets down and storm into the final (Detail report on Sports Page) Mamata Banerjee became the first serving chief minister to argue in the Supreme Court on Wednesday as she sought an intervention in the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls, alleging that West Bengal was being "targeted" and its people were being "bulldozed". The court took note of Banerjee's petition and said genuine persons must remain on electoral rolls. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Our lawyers fight for justice from the beginning, but when we don’t get justice, justice cries behind doors n Mamata Banerjee Pancholi issued notices and sought replies to the petition by February 9 from the Election Commission and the chief electoral officer of West Bengal. The CJI asked the poll panel West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee leaves SC premises in New Delhi to instruct booth-level officers and electoral roll officers to be more sensitive while issuing notices on grounds of minor discrepancies such as mismatched spelling of names, etc. 4Continued on | P8 wildlife boost 8 Botswana cheetahs coming soon Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Eight cheetahs will be brought to Madhya Pradesh from Botswana on February 28, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced after meeting Union Minister for Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav in Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting involved a comprehensive discussion on cheetah rehabilitation, necessary cooperation of the Centre and arrangements for their relocation. Discussions also focused on bringing wild buffalo to the state from Assam. During his Delhi visit, the CM also met Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh and Union Minister for Rail and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw. PREPARATIONS ON Sources in the Forest Department said the eight cheetahs will initially arrive at Kuno National Park, Sheopur, and later be translocated to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary (Mandsaur) and Nauradehi Sanctuary (Sagar). All sites have been prepared with large enclosures and an adequate prey base to ensure the cheetahs proper upkeep. CM Yadav presents bouquet to Union Minister for Forest & Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav in Delhi