FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 219 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | JANUARY 21, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Pant named captain of LSG P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper nation Police campaign against Bangladeshi infiltrators P.7 MONEY Billionaire wealth soars 3 times faster by $2 tn in 2024 Cinema 'Feels like I have come back from rehab' P.14 RG KAR CASE | Court orders Roy to pay Rs 50k fine and directs state govt to pay compensation of Rs 17 lakh to family of deceased doctor Cabinet in Maheshwar to put seal on bus service launch Convict gets life term; not rarest of rare, says court PTI Not satisfied: Mamata KOLKATA A Kolkata court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment until death after he was convicted of raping and murdering an onduty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, rejecting demands for the death penalty saying it was not a "rarest of the rare" crime. Additional District and Sessions Judge in Sealdah, Anirban Das, had on Saturday found Roy guilty of committing the crime against the postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9 last year. The heinous crime triggered nationwide outrage and prolonged protests in West Bengal. The court also ordered Roy to pay a Rs 50,000 fine and directed the state government to pay compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the family of the deceased doctor. Judge Das stated that the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category, which justified the decision to not give the death penalty to the convict. "The CBI prayed for the death penalty. The defence fp Proposal may come up at meeting on Friday Briefs BHUBANESWAR Two women Maoists killed At least two women Maoists were killed in a gunfight between security forces and left-wing extremists at the OdishaChhattisgarh border on Monday, DGP Y B Khurania said. He said a large quantity of arms and ammunition were also seized. The DGP said Odisha police's Special Operation Group (SOG), Chhattisgarh's E-30 force and CRPF launched a joint operation on Sunday night at the inter-state border after getting intelligence reports regarding the presence of Maoists at the Kularighat reserve forest. NCW welcomes verdict The National Commission for Women (NCW) has welcomed the Kolkata court's decision to sentence the prime accused in the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case to life imprisonment till death, but also urged legal action against the other accused individuals currently out on bail lawyer prayed that a jail term be given instead of the death penalty.This crime does not fall under the rarest of the rare category," the judge said. "I am sentencing you to life imprisonment, meaning till the last day of your life, for causing injury during the act of committing rape on the victim that led to her death...," he told Roy. Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was found guilty under Sections 64 (rape), 66 (punishment for causing death), and 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The judge stated that under Section 64, life imprisonment is being given, along with a fine of Rs 50,000. An additional five months of imprisonment will be imposed upon non-payment of the fine, he added. Under Section 103(1), Roy has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a Rs 50,000 fine, and another five months in jail if the fine remains unpaid. Additionally, under Section 66, he has been sentenced to life imprisonment till death, the judge said. All the sentences will run concurrently, the judge said. "Since the victim died while on duty in the hospital, her place of work, it is the responsibility of the state to pay compensation to the family of the doctor - Rs 10 lakh for the death and Rs 7 lakh for the rape," Das said. 4Continued on | P6 DOC’S PARENTS 'DISMAYED' he parents of the deceased medic in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case said that they were not satisfied with the verdict of the court pronouncing life imprisonment till death for the convict. Claiming that the investigation was done half-heartedly and several other culprits involved in the crime were shielded, they said they would move to the higher court seeking justice T Hyd student shot dead in US IANS HYDERABAD A 26-year-old student from Hyderabad was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Washington DC. K. Ravi Teja's family members received the shocking news on Monday. The student died on the spot when he was shot at a gas station. According to the North American Association of Indian Students (NAAIS), the incident occurred hours before President Donald Trump's inauguration for his second term. However, the details of the incident were immediately not known. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are currently under investigation. The authorities were probing the incident from all angles including hate crime. A resident of Green Hills Colony in Chaitany- apuri, Ravi Teja had moved to the United States in March 2022 to pursue a Master's degree in business administration. After completing his studies, he had been searching for a job. The tragic incident left Ravi Teja's family in deep shock. A pall of gloom descended on the house as relatives and friends poured in to offer their condolences. 4Continued on | P6 Uttarakhand govt approves UCC rules PTI DEHRADUN RAMALLAH Israel frees 90 Palestinians The first three hostages were released from Gaza and the first Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli custody as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold following 15 months of war, with mixed emotions and more difficult steps ahead over the next six weeks. Palestinians across Gaza began making their way home, and the first trucks with a surge of humanitarian aid began to enter the devastated territory. The ceasefire that began on Sunday morning raises hopes for ending the devastating conflict. Our Staff Reporter Expressing "dissatisfaction" over a Kolkata court awarding life imprisonment to the convict in the RG Kar hospital case, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed the probe was "forcibly" taken away from the state police, asserting that had it been with them, they would have ensured a death penalty An aerial view of tents at Sangam area during Mahakumbh, in Prayagraj, Monday. PTI Photo Fire breaks out near Kinnar Akhara camp at Maha Kumbh PTI MAHAKUMBH NAGAR A fire broke out near the Kinnar Akhara camp in Sector 16 at the Maha Kumbh Mela here on Monday, officials said. There were no casualties in the incident. This comes a day after a big fire triggered by a cylinder blast engulfed 18 tents in Sector 19 at the world's largest religious gathering. "Around 9.30 am, personnel stationed at the tower under the Ann Kshetra fire station noticed smoke rising near the Kinnar Akhara camp and immediately informed the control room," a fire department official said. Fire department vehicles and personnel patrolling the area were dispatched to the spot without delay. However, by the time they reached the spot, people had already doused the flames using water and sand, the official said. "Inspection revealed that a small tent at the Shri Hari Divya Sadhna Peeth camp caught fire. Thankfully, there were no casualties," the official added. On Sunday, a massive fire broke out in Sector 19 at a camp for Kalpwasis set up by Geeta Press and Akhil Bharatiya Dharma Sangh. It spread rapidly and engulfed 18 tents. Multiple LPG cylinders exploded during the fire. No casualty was reported in the incident. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said the rules under Uniform Civil Code (UCC) have been approved and the date of its implementation will be announced soon. After chairing a state cabinet meeting, Dhami said that preparations for implementing the UCC in the state are almost complete. "The training process for the UCC implementation is almost complete. During the cabinet meeting, we discussed implementing it as soon as possible. 4Continued on | P6 BHOPAL tion lies and who have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him. "The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offence," Biden said in a statement. The state government is going to take some major decisions at the cabinet meeting in Maheshwar on Friday. The cabinet may put its seal on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s ambitious bus service project. The government wants to launch passenger buses by this year. To run the buses, there will be a six-month plan, so that the bus services can be started from one route. The buses will be operated on some routes in Indore and Ujjain divisions, and, after the cabinet decision, the Transport Department will conduct a survey. Decision on setting companies to run the buses will be part of the cabinet approval. The buses will be operated through this company. Sale of liquor may be banned in religious citiesThe cabinet may take another important decision in Maheshwar. It may impose a ban on sale of liquor in Maheshwar, Omkareshwar and a few other religious cities. 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 d-day arrives US President Joe Biden poses with President-elect Donald Trump at the White House before the latter’s swearing-in ceremony. AFP Biden issues pre-emptive pardons for Trump critics AP WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr Anthony Fauci, retired Gen Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours to guard against potential "revenge" by the incoming Soldier killed in encounter with terrorists in J&K Trump administration. The decision by Biden comes after Donald Trump warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. Trump has selected Cabinet nominees who backed his elec- ED uncovers Rs 52L in assets Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Srinagar: An Indian Army soldier was killed following an overnight encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore area, officials said on Monday. Sepoy Pangala Kartheek was injured in the exchange of fire with terrorists in a hideout at Zaloora Gujjarpati and died as he was being evacuated from the scene of the gunbattle, they said. The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in Bhopal conducted search operations on January 17 at several locations across Bhopal, Gwalior, and Pune (Maharashtra), in connection with the investigation of Saurabh Sharma and others. The searches led to the discovery of cash, bank deposits, and jewellery worth approximately Rs 52 lakh, of- SAURABH SHARMA CASE ficials said on Monday. The ED's investigation is based on an FIR registered by the Lokayukta, Special Police Establishment, Bhopal under sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988(as amended in 2018), against Saurabh Sharma, a retired constable of the Transport Department in Bhopal. Son born to foreign woman can't be patriot, says edu minister Parmar questions Rahul Gandhi's patriotism ahead of Mhow visit 4Continued on | P6 Woman, 4-yr-old son die, daughter slips from noose FP News Service MHOW Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar launched a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning his patriotism by stating that ‘a son born to a foreign woman cannot be a patriot’. Parmar made these remarks during an interaction with the media on Monday. His comments come ahead of Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Mhow on January 27, The FIR revealed that Sharma had amassed disproportionate assets worth several crores of rupees, which were held in the names of his family members and associated firms. During the search operations, ED officials froze bank accounts with deposits totalling Rs 30 lakh, seized Rs 12 lakh in cash, and recovered 9.9 kg of silver valued at around Rs 9.17 lakh. where he will kick off the Congress party's national campaign "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan." The event will also be attended by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Priyanka Gandhi, and other national Congress leaders. Slamming Rahul Gandhi, Parmar toldFree Press, "In his attempt to oppose Sangh, BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi has starteda fight against the country In his attempt to oppose Sangh, BJP, and PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi has starteda fight against the country as well Inder Singh Parmar Higher Education Minister as well. How can such a person be called a patriot?" In response to Congress "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan" campaign, the BJP has announced its own "Samvidhan Gaurav Diwas" drive across the state. A woman hanged herself along with her four-year-old son in Nanded village of Mhow tehsil on Monday. She had also hanged her one-and-a-half-month-old daughter too but she slipped from the noose and survived. Sub-inspector Jagdish Dawar of Badgonda police station said, "Dimple Girwal (28) wife of Rohit Girwal and her son Kavyansh (4) were found hanging from a swing fixed to the roof of her house for children in Nanded village on Monday afternoon. 4Continued on | P6 saddam to shivshankar Muslim man converts to marry girlfriend PTI BASTI A 34-year-old Muslim man here converted to Hinduism to marry his girlfriend with whom he had an affair for the past 10 years, changing his name from Saddam to Shivshankar, police said on Monday. SHO of Kotwali police station Devendra Singh said that three days ago, the woman had lodged a case against Saddam and his family members in the police station for rape, forcing her to have an abortion, raping her on the pretext of marriage and threatening to kill her. But on Sunday night, Saddam and the girl got married in a temple in the city market as per Hindu customs and Saddam changed his name to Shivshankar Soni. According to the police, Saddam Hussain, a resident of Nagar Bazaar, was in a love affair with a woman (about 30 years old) from the same village for about 10 years. Since both of them belonged to different religions, marriage was not possible. The girl pressured him into marriage many times, but Saddam's family was not ready to accept her, he said. Troubled by this, the girl had given an appslication to the Superintendent of Police Basti three days ago and accused the youth Saddam of rape, forcing an abortion and threatening to kill. On the order of the SP, the police had registered a case against Saddam and his family in the city police station, Singh said. But now both have married each other of their own free will, Singh said adding they took seven rounds in the temple and discussed spending their lives together. Both told the police that they had taken this decision on their own. "We were in a love affair for the last ten years," they had said. "Both Saddam alias Shiv Shankar Soni and Anu Soni are adults and after marrying voluntarily in the temple, they came to the police station. Anu Soni gave a statement to end the case on the basis of compromise. As a result, investigation is being done to end the case," the SHO said. Meanwhile, Saddam's family, consisting of his mother and brother, said that he is living with Anu Soni at her house. Saddam's family was very unhappy with his relationship with Anu and had already evicted him from their property, the SHO said.