Vol. 68 No. 145 | Monday, March 24, 2025 | 24 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) GAMES NATION Self-styled prophet Bajinder Singh assaults man, woman in office Briefs Beef ruckus in Nagpada There was a major uproar in Nagpada after beef was allegedly found in a tempo, igniting protests by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers. It led to a massive commition outside the JJ Marg Police Station, where VHP activists demanded immediate action against those involved. The protesters insisted that an FIR be registered against the accused and warned that they would continue their agitation until the case was formally filed. Anti-dumping heat on China India has imposed antidumping duty on five Chinese goods, including vacuum flasks and aluminium foil, to guard domestic players from cheap imports from the neighbouring country. These duties were imposed as these products were exported to India from China at below normal prices. India and China both are members of the WTO. China is the second largest trading partner of India. The country has time and again flagged serious concerns over the widening trade deficit with the neighbouring country, which stood at USD 85 billion in 2023-24. RSS vow for harmony The RSS has passed a resolution, resolving to build a "harmonious and organised Hindu society" for world peace and prosperity. The resolution was passed at the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, its highest decision-making body, on Sunday. India, being an ancient culture with rich traditions, has the experiential wisdom to create a harmonious world, the RSS said in its resolution. Amid the ongoing debate over the Karnataka government's decision to provide a four per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday asserted that the Constitution does not allow religion-based quota. He also said such reservations go against the architect of our Constitution, B R Ambedkar. In contact with techie IT services firm Tech Mahindra on Sunday said it was in "close contact" with the family of its employee who has been allegedly detained in Qatar in connection with an ongoing investigation. Amit Gupta, a senior employee at the firm, was detained by authorities in Doha on January 1, his family in Gujarat's Vadodara has alleged. Gupta has reportedly been detained for stealing data. His family, however, said he is innocent and has been falsely accused of data theft. Changed pill to drug hubby Muskaan Rastogi had tampered with her husband's prescription to purchase sleeping pills to drug him before killing and dismembering his body, investigating officials on Sunday said, as they provided fresh details of the grisly crime that took place in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut earlier this month. Cinema Chandan: How does one become famous? Noor Ahmad took four wickets on debut for CSK to star in four-wicket win against MI Edit User and Musk’s artificial intelligence abuser HUSH-HUSH | Despite huge seizure, help of Income Tax authorities not requisitioned! A ‘smoking’ cash gun but no sign of I-T men FPJ News Service NEW DELHI It is indeed baffling that a huge stash of cash – running into crores -- is ‘inadvertently’ recovered from the residence of a Delhi High Court serving judge and yet the Income Tax Department is nowhere in the picture. The Delhi Fire Service, at best, can clear the accumulated fire debris and prepare an inventory of articles destroyed but they can’t be expected to tabulate the cash seizure. They neither have the counting machines, nor the much needed expertise at hand. For an unusual exercise of this kind, professional help of IT Department personnel needs to be requisitioned. Later, if need be, the CBI, the ED and the other agencies can step into the case once an FIR has been lodged by the central investigative agency. The Delhi police or the Delhi Fire Service are simply not empowered to seize the cash, which is necessary for fastening the civil liability of unaccounted for wealth and initiation of criminal prosecution. It needs to be underscored here that judges enjoy no special immunity; they can’t be suspended during the period of inquiry and must wait for the process of impeachment to be initiated. In this case in particular, no additional work is being assigned to the judge in question. On Saturday night, the Supreme Court  published the report  of the Chief Justice as well as Justice Varma's response. A video of the burnt cash recovered from the site was also uploaded along with the report. In his reply, Justice Varma has stated that he was shocked to see the video shared by the Commissioner of Police since what was depicted in it was not found on the site as seen by him. Also, no such recovery was shown to anyone and no staff member or family of his was informed of any such recovery or seizure. He further stated that no one from his house had reported seeing any currency in the burnt form in the room where fire broke out on intervening night of March 14-15 and that police had left the scene without informing about any recovery or seizure of cash or currency. ‘‘What baffles me is the complete absence of any sacks of allegedly burnt currency which were ever recovered or seized. We categorically assert that neither my daughter, nor the PS or the household staffers were shown these so-called sacks of burnt currency,’ Varma’s statement said.  His staff members who were present on the premises at the time of the fire incident have also stated that there was no presence or removal of currency from the premises. Outside the residence D ays after the ‘fire’ at Justice Yashwant Varma’s residence, videos are circulating online which show remnants of some of the burnt currency notes being found near the judge’s residence. Inderjeet, a sanitation worker in the area, recounted discovering burnt fragments of Rs 500 notes while clearing garbage near the judge’s residence. He explained that similar findings had made a few days earlier as well. The cavalier manner in which the so-called seizure of notes was handled on the night of 14th and the morning of the 15th suggest the investigation has been compromised by ham-handed destruction of the evidence. What muddies the waters is the easy access which household staff had to the outhouse storeroom from where the ‘incriminating’ evidence was seized. Shahi Masjid chief arrested FPJ News Service LUCKNOW A driver who was filmed watching a cricket match on his mobile phone while driving an e-Shivneri bus on Saturday evening from Dadar to Pune (Swargate) has been dismissed from service, following a directive from Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. The driver was working for a company that had wetleased the bus to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The MSRTC also imposed a ₹5,000 fine on the company. The bus departed from Dadar on March 22 at 7.30pm and reached Pune after midnight. There were 30 passengers in the bus. When the bus was near Lonavla, a passenger noticed that the driver was watching a live cricket match on his mobile phone while driving. Concerned about safety, the passenger recorded a video and sent it to Sarnaik. consequences.” Kamra has accepted money from Uddhav Thackeray and is targeting Eknath Shinde at the former’s behest, Mhaske alleged. “We will make sure you cannot move around freely in the country. We are Shiv Sainiks of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. If we start hounding you, you will have to leave the country,” the Thane Lok Sabha MP added. “His party is left with no- Canada snap vote amid Trump war AP TORONTO body, so it is hiring such people. Kamra will realise the consequences of criticising Shinde,” Mhaske said attacking Thackeray. Mhaske also slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut for circulating the video on X. In a post, Raut said, “Kunal Kamra is a well-known writer and stand-up comedian. He had composed a parody The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday arrested Shahi Jama Masjid’s president, Zafar Ali, in connection with the last year’s violence against a court-ordered survey that claimed four lives and left several others injured. According to the police, Ali was the first person to receive information about the survey. On November 19, he was allegedly informed in advance about the survey, after which a crowd gathered, leading to disruptions. Similarly, on November 24, he was again among the first to be notified, 4Contd on | nation After he received the complaint, Sarnaik immediately instructed senior MSRTC officials to take strict action as per regulations. Accordingly, local MSRTC authorities dismissed the driver for reckless driving and endangering the passengersʼ lives. Additionally, the wet lease bus supplier was fined ₹5,000. Another passenger complained about the same bus driver on X, posting that the driver was talking on the phone while driving, thereby imperilling passengers and tagged @CMOMaharashtra. In response, the chief minister responded at 2.23pm on March 23, “This driver was immediately suspended. An FIR is in process, and further action is underway. Your concern was noted and forwarded to the relevant department officials, who verified the issue and took immediate action.”  4Contd on | nation Indian-origin woman kills son after Disneyland trip FPJ News Service NEW YORK MUMBAI New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Conservative opponent kicked off their election campaigns on Sunday against the backdrop of a trade war and annexation threats from US President Donald Trump. Carney announced there will be a five-week election campaign before the vote on April 28. The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war. Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should become the 51st US state and he acknowledged Friday that he has upended Canadian politics. Trump's almost daily attacks on Canada's sovereignty have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism which has bolstered Liberal poll numbers. "President Trump claims that Canada isn't while driving in ghat section Kamal Mishra FPJ Desk Shiv Sena leaders on Sunday took umbrage at stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for targeting their party head and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde by taking pot shots at the latter by referring to him as a ‘traitor’. Livid at the unsavory description, the activists vandalised Hotel Unicontinental in Mumbai’s Khar area where Kamra’s show was filmed and demanded that an FIR be lodgef against him.Thane Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske said, “Kamra is a stand-up comedian. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake (apparently referring to Shinde). Once the fangs are out, there will be dire BUS DRIVER IS ‘CAUGHT BEHIND’ phone Watches IPL match on MUMBAI 4Contd on | nation COMIC KAMRA STEPS ONTO A TIGER’S TAIL Tell-tale signs outside house in garbage bin An Indian-origin woman has been charged with allegedly murdering her 11-year-old son after a three-day vacation to Disneyland.Saritha Ramaraju, 48, has been charged with one felony count of murder for slitting her son's throat, killing the boy after they went on a vacation to Disneyland during a custody visit. She has also been charged with one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges, a statement from the Office of the District Attorney, Orange County, California said Friday. Ramaraju, who moved out of California after divorcing the boy's father in 2018, was staying with her son at a motel in Santa Ana for a custody visit. During the visit, she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son. On March 19, the day Ramaraju was scheduled to check out of the motel and return the boy to his father, she called 911 at 9.12 am to report that she had killed her son and taken pills to kill herself. Santa Ana police arrived at the motel and found the young boy dead on the bed in a room among Disneyland souvenirs. It appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before his mother called 911, the statement said. The boy was scheduled to be returned to his father that day. A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before. Ramaraju was released from the hospital on Thursday after ingesting the unknown substance and arrested on suspicion of stabbing the boy to death. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Driver held for molesting Oz naval staff Irfan Pathan gets the boot F ormer cricketers as commentators have always had to tread a fine line between objectivity and personal likes and dislikes; yet, there is always the off-chance of being caught on the wrong foot. The latest to find himself 4Contd on | nation Poonam Apraj MUMBAI The Yellow Gate police have arrested a 32-year-old man, Anil Sharanappa Kamble, for allegedly molesting a 23-yearold Australian woman. The incident occurred on March 22, at 11.35pm, inside the Green Gate area of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT). Following the incident, a complaint was registered on Sunday, at 7.52am, under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to police, the woman, who works for the Australian Navy, was boarding a vehicle to reach her ship when the vehicle driver, the accused Kamble, allegedly committed an act outraging her modesty. Kambleʼs actions caused distress and discomfort to the complainant. Following the complaint, Yellow Gate Police promptly arrested Kamble, who resides at Jai Bhavani Chawl, Damupada, Kandivli. The accused was taken to court, which sent him to police custody for a day, said a police officer. The woman was stationed on a foreign ship docked inside Green Gate in Mumbai. On the night of the incident, she had attended a food festival at the Naval Dockyard. After the event, she took a bus to the Gateway of India, where she spent some time. Later, she proceeded to Green Gate to return to her ship.  To reach the ship, which was stationed inside the gate, she boarded a tempo traveller. However, during the ride, the driver molested her. Police are investigating the matter. offgrid a real country. He wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen," Carney said. The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Justin Trudeau announced his resignation in January and Trump declared a trade war. Carney has said the government in a time of crisis needs a strong and clear mandate. "The next election will be one of the most consequential in our lifetimes," he posted on social media overnight. 4Contd on | nation Non-RSS karyakarta BJP Kerala unit boss Our Correspondent THIRUVANANTHAPURAM In a surprise move, the BJP high command has given the baton of the leadership of its Kerala unit to former Union Minister and businessman Rajeev Chandrasekharan, popularly known as RC. He will be the first leader who will not carry the RSS baggage or even an important Karyakarta badge. But to his credit, he did well in the Lok Sabha polls giving Shashi Tharoor a run for his money. The cap fell on RC’s head when a meeting of top leaders in Delhi, headed by BJP central observer Prahlad Joshi decided to roll a new dice in God’s Own Country. Despite his initial reluctance, it is reported that Home Minister Amit Shah requested his presence at Sunday’s meeting of BJP in Thiruvananthapuram. With former technocrat-turnedpolitician RC at the helm, the BJP is trying to woo the growing number of young voters and also secure the support of the upper-caste Hindu vote base, traditionally aligned with the Congress. RC woefully lacks extensive grassroots political experience and sources said the may function only as a figurehead, focusing on the broader strategic vision, especially when Kerala is trying to attract new ventures with active support from the Centre. An organizing secretary is expected to handle the day-to-day operations. Sources told the media that A Jayakumar, from the RSS is the front-runner for the post. He has been asked to be in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s name will be formally announced on Monday after the poll observer opens the ballot box which will have only one name. Soft-spoken RC will succeed K. Surendran, who served as president for five years, including two years as interim president and three years in a full-term capacity.