FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 265 | INDORE | MONDAY | MARCH 3, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Briefs DEHRADUN Bodies of four more recovered The bodies of the last four of the trapped labourers were pulled out from the site of the avalanche-hit BRO camp in Chamoli on Sunday, taking the death toll to eight as authorities ended rescue operation. EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK FP News Service The Securities and Exchange Board of India on Sunday said that it will soon initiate legal steps to challenge the special Anti-Corruption (ACB) court verdict which has directed an FIR to be filed against former chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and other officials in connection with alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations. The capital market regulator, in a statement issued on Sunday, dismissed the complainant as a "frivolous and habitual litigant", vowing to take appropriate legal steps to challenge the order.To the surprise of many, a special court on Saturday IAS officer takes VRS directed the ACB to register an FIR against the former SEBI chairperson in connection with the alleged capital market fraud and regulatory violations. The court has also ordered ACB to register FIRs against Sundararaman Ramamurthy, managing director and chief executive officer of BSE, its then chairman and public interest director Pramod Agarwal, and SEBI’s three whole time members -- Ashwani Bhatia, Ananth Narayan, and Kamlesh Chandra Varshney. In the order passed on Saturday, the special court judge Shashikant Eknathrao Bangar said, “There is prima facie evidence of regulatory lapses and collusion, requiring a fair and impartial probe.” 4Continued on | P8 Peace prospects in tatters, Europe picks up the pieces MINISTER’S DAUGHTER HARASSED FP News Service MUMBAI FP News Service LONDON British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken upon himself the onerous task of working in tandem with the leaders of Ukraine, France and Italy on a cease-fire plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. This plan will eventually need a US endorsement. The indications came ahead of a summit in London on Sunday, where the British PM met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and other European leaders to discuss the war. According to western media sources, these nations look set to assume key roles in a 'coalition of the willing' to enforce the peace deal with Russia. After hugging Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London, Starmer told the gathering they must step up to a 'once in a generation moment.’ According to the Daily Mail, the leaders are also expected to ramp up defence spending E-paper Brandsutra Golden Marketing Methods P.12 SEBI LEGAL DARE MUMBAI MUMBAI Edit Math behind problem of delimitation P.6 ‘Employment rising but wages not keeping pace with inflation’ IN THE DOCK | Anti-Corruption Court wants FIR slapped on ex-SEBI chief Madhabi Buch and other officials in case of alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations BHOPAL Senior IAS official Mohammad Suleman has taken voluntary retirement from service. He is official of 1989 batch. During his tenure, he served on important positions in government. His application for VRS has been accepted by Ministry of Personnel, sources said. iii QUALITY @ VALUE MONEY Sports Teammates rally for run machine P.10 fp ESTD-1983 with the British PM urging them to recognise the 'brutal reality' of the US pulling back from military guarantees given to allies.  4Continued on | P8 Farmers to get power connection for Rs 5: CM Govt to distribute 30L solar pumps Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL In a groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting farmers, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that permanent electricity connections will now be provided to farmers for just Rs 5. This initiative will help those without permanent power connection, allowing them to access reliable power for their agricultural needs. The Central Region Electricity Distribution Company will spearhead this drive, and subsequent efforts will extend to other regions, including the western sector. The announcement was made during the Kisan Abhar Sammelan held at the Chief Minister's residence, organised by the BJP Kisan Morcha to express gratitude for the government's decision to provide bonus on wheat purchase. In a major boost to t agri- A group of girls, including the daughter of Union Minister Raksha Khadse, were subjected to harassment at the Sant Muktai Fair in Kothali village, Muktainagar Taluka. Following a complaint filed by Raksha Khadse’s security personnel, Muktainagar Police have registered a case against four youths. The incident has sparked outrage, with Khadse demanding immediate action against the culprits. The chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission, Rupali Chakankar, has condemned the incident and directed police to take immediate action. Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The ongoing Shiv Mahapuran Katha at Kubereshwar Dham in Sehore has seen two deaths on consecutive days this weekend. The Katha began on February 25. Devotees have been staying in the pandal at the venue with crowds swelling on each passing day of the seven-day Rudraksh Mahotsav. Amid excessive heat and crowds, 25year-old Jabalpur resident Golu Koshta’s health deteriorated on Sunday. When he was rushed to the hospital, the doctors declared him dead.  Similarly, Vijendra Swaroop of Kanpur died at the venue on Saturday. Sehore CMHO Dr Sudhir Deharia confirmed the two deaths.  Around 10 lakh devotees were at the venue, making it tough for the administration to maintain the system. On Armed men in SUV block car, ‘EPIC duplication not kidnap bride, assault groom a sign of fake voters’ FP News Service GUNA A bride was kidnapped in broad daylight from National Highway (NH) 46 near Ruthiyai in Guna district on Sunday, while her groom was beaten during the attack. Police have launched an intensive search operation after the newly-married woman made statements during kidnapping, suggesting she knew at least one of her kidnappers. According to reports, Vikram Nayak, a resident of Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan had married a woman from As- The car from which the bride was abducted hoknagar the previous day. Following completion of wedding rituals on Saturday night, the couple departed from Ashoknagar around 9:30 am, travelling in a car with the bride's grandmother, aunt and their driver. Vikram later told police that he noticed suspicious vehicles following them from Ashoknagar itself. The pursuers first attempted to intercept their car in Gader area, but the driver managed to evade them. However, around 10:30 am near Ruthiyai, the kidnappers blocked their vehicle using an SUV and positioned a bike behind them to prevent escape. Approximately seven to eight men emerged from the SUV, armed with knives which they used to smash car windows. 4Continued on | P8 FP News Service MUMBAI The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that duplication in EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) numbers does not indicate fake or duplicate voters, addressing concerns over identical alphanumeric series appearing in different states. The Commission explained that before the adoption of the ERONET platform, some States and Union Territories followed a manual system that inadvertently led to the same EPIC numbers being assigned to different voters across separate constituencies. Despite these duplications, the ECI emphasized that every voter remains restricted to casting their ballot only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency. Even if two electors from different states share the same EPIC number, their demographic details, Assembly Constituency, and polling booth locations are entirely distinct, ruling out any possibility of electoral fraud. To eliminate concerns and prevent further confusion, the Commission announced that all registered voters will be assigned unique EPIC numbers. Semifinal Showdowns With this victory, India will now face Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday, while New Zealand will travel to Lahore to take on South Africa on Wednesday. Online Report Teleperformance, the world's biggest call centre operator is using artificial intelligence (AI) to '"neutralise" Indian accents for Western customers, according to a media report. The company said it was applying real-time AI software on phone calls to remove the accents of English-speaking Indian customer service agents that will enhance clarity and improve customer interactions. The French company has around 90,000 employees in India and tens of thousands in other countries which serve customers in the UK, including the government, the NHS, Vodafone and eBay. The AI-driven solution has been developed by Palo Alto-based startup Sanas which also includes background noise cancellation technology that filters out disruptive sounds such as office chatter, sirens, or even crowing roosters to improve call quality. "It's a technology that allows [us] to neutralise accents in real time without any data storage," Teleperformance's Markus Schmitt told investors last week. "You have obviously the issue we talked about human connection, human empathy. We have first implemented Sanas with clients in India. And sometimes, there is a difficulty people in India over the next three years. 4Continued on | P8 India clinched the top spot in Group A of the Champions Trophy with a decisive 44-run victory over New Zealand on Sunday, setting up a highly anticipated semifinal clash against Australia. Shreyas Iyer led the charge for India, crafting a composed 79 off 98 balls, while valuable contributions from Hardik Pandya (45) and Axar Patel (42) propelled the team to a total of 249 for 9 in their 50 overs. In reply, Varun Chakravarthy delivered a match-winning performance, dismantling the New Zealand batting lineup with a sensational spell of 5 for 42 in his 10 overs, securing India's victory. See sports Raut’s claim: Shah urged Shinde to merge with BJP Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI after elections." Shah: "But BJP won 125 seats. How can you claim the CM post?" Shinde: "The elections were fought under my leadership." Shah: "No, the elections were won in Modi ji’s name. Tell me what you want." Shinde: "I want to remain CM." Shah: "That’s not possible. The CM will be from BJP now." Shinde: "What should I do?" Shah: "Merge your party with BJP. That’s the only way you can retain influence. An outsider will no longer be Maharashtra’s CM. We have respected your position so far." UBT Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, known for his relentless attacks on former Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has made a sensational allegation— claiming that Union Home Minister Amit Shah advised Shinde to merge his party with the BJP. In his Sunday column Rokhthok in Saamana, Raut alleged that Shinde met Shah at Pune’s Westin Hotel at 4 AM on February 22, seeking clarity on his diminishing role in the government. According to Raut, Shinde complained about Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, frustrated that his authority was being systematically eroded. Alleged Conversation Between Shinde and Shah Amit Shah: "Shindeji, it’s 4 AM. What is so urgent?" Shinde: "You already know what is happening." Shah: "What exactly?" Shinde: "They are sidelining me and my people." Shah: "How is that possible? I’ll speak to Devendra." Shinde: "They’re trying to politically finish me. We trusted you and joined hands with BJP. You promised I’d remain CM even Harassed by girlfriend, youth kills self PVT SPACECRAFT LANDS ON MOON 4Continued on | P8 Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL talking and vice versa with clients from the US." Sanas, which claims to be at the forefront of AI innovations that blur the line between machine-generated enhancements and human interactions, claimed that its product has been developed with the goal of "reducing accent-based discrimination". 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Call centre uses AI to remove Indian accent cultural sector, CM Yadav also announced distribution of 30 lakh solar pumps to farmers PTI In a shocking incident, an 18year-old youth, Raj Meena, hanged himself in his bathroom at his Anand Nagar home under the Piplani police station on Sunday morning, allegedly after being harassed by his girlfriend. Police found no suicide note at the scene and have initiated an investigation and sent the body for autopsy. Meanwhile, Meena's sister created a ruckus at his girlfriend's residence, with family members alleging that Meena, a carpenter, was in an inter-caste relationship with the girl. offgrid Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput said on Sunday that the government thinks about farmers’ welfare more than the latter’s expectations. That’s why, even the department minister comes to know of government decisions later, through newspapers. He added that farmers will not face any difficulty during the coming wheat procurement period as drinking water and shade arrangements have been made at the purchasing centres. Procurement will continue from March 15 to May 5. DUBAI 4See also | P8 Sunday, thousands of devotees gathered to listen to Pandit Pradeep Mishra’s Katha, leading to chaos at the venue. Earlier, the district administration claimed that adequate medical facilities would be made available at the venue. The collector had directed the CMHO to monitor the medical arrangements. Under the order, ambulance and medical staff were to be present with a mini ICU set-up at the venue for  immediate treatment in case of an emergency. Minister learns about govt decisions through media: Rajput VARUN WEB TIES KIWIS INTO KNOTS At Shiv Mahapuran Katha, 2 deaths in as many days 10 lakh turn up at Kubereshwar Dham Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addresses Kisan Abhar Sammelan at CM House on Sunday Private lunar lander Blue Ghost's shadow is seen on the moon's surface after touching down. A spacecraft from an American start-up gently touched down on a lava plain on the moon’s near side early Sunday morning. The Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, built by Firefly Aerospace of Cedar Park, Texas, had set out its journey on January 15. It was launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Over a week-long journey, the lander travelled roughly 238,855 miles (384,400 km) and entered lunar orbit on February 13 where it was scheduled to wait for 16 days. The Ghost is on a 14-day mission and will collect information on the lunar soil.