FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLI No. 288 | INDORE | THURSDAY | MARCH 27, 2025 | Pages 18 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Golden KnOCK in Purple Glory P.16 Now, `11cr drainage bill scam in IMC   Our Staff Reporter INDORE A fraud of Rs 11 crore has come to light in the drainage department of the Indore Municipal Corporation. The MG Road police station has registered an FIR in the case on a complaint by the additional commissioner of the finance department of IMC, said DCP (zone-3) Hansraj Singh while talking to Free Press. The fraud came to light during an internal checking of 185 files of drainage bills by the IMC wherein it was found that the inward and outward numbers of about 169 files did not match. These files pertain to the time period between 2012 and 2019. These fake bills resulted in payment of about Rs 11 crore to the bank account of one fp Briefs UPI outage across India India’s digital payment infrastructure suffered a major outage on Wednesday, with UPI transactions failing nationwide. Platforms like Google Pay, Paytm, and banking apps faced disruptions, leaving millions stranded. Complaints on Downdetector spiked around 7 PM, affecting fund transfers and merchant payments. NEW DEHI SC talks tough on misleading advts The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the states and union territories to create a grievance redressal mechanism against misleading advertisements. A bench of Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said misleading advertisements could cause great harm to the society and it was essential to stop them and save the ignorant masses. The state governments, the court said, should create such mechanisms for members of the public to lodge complaints against objectionable ads. MATCH NO. 7 SRH Vs LSG HYDERABAD; 7.30 PM (Detail on Sports Page) Sajid, who according to sources was booked earlier in another drainage bill scam and is in jail for the same. In the over 100 crore drainage bill scam that was exposed last year, the police had put up a charge sheet before the court. Executive engineer Abhay Rathore and other IMC employees and contractors were arrested in this case. The police have registered a separate FIR in this latest scam. The role of other people is also being investigated by the police. Further information is also being gathered from the audit department and relevant IMC officials.   India tests vertically launched SAM Agencies NEW DELHI In a boost to India's precision firepower, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy conducted the successful flight-test of indigenously-developed Vertically-Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VLSRSAM) on Wednesday, an official statement said. The test-firing, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha at noon on Wednesday, was carried out from a land-based vertical launcher against a high-speed aerial target at very close range and low altitude and established the missile system's Near-Boundary-Low Altitude capability. FP News Service The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted massive raids at 60 locations in four states including Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Bhopal and Kolkata in Mahadev Satta online betting app. In Chhattisgarh CBI carried out raids at the residential and official premises of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his two close then Official on Duty (OSD)s Ashish Verma and Manish Banchor, his secretary Soumya Chaurasia, MLA Devendra Yadav, retired IAS Anil Tuteja and 4 IPS officers Anand Chhabra, Abhishek Pallav, Arif Sheikh, Prashant Agarwal.  The CBI teams also conducted raids on the premises of ASP Sanjay Dhruv and two constables Nakul-Sahdev. As per the information received, CBI teams have conducted raids in EDITIONS: INDORE ‘Private investment can help India overcome risks’ UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit A populist budget P.6 Cinema ‘Is your account hacked?’ P.18 RELIGIOUS SAFETY | UP CM vows to restore every temple in Sambhal, asserting that over 54 pilgrimage sites have been identified ‘Muslims safe if Hindus are’ FPJ News Service MUMBAI Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asserted that religious safety in the state is interconnected, claiming that Muslims are safe only if Hindus are safe. In an interview with ANI, he stated that since the BJP came to power in 2017, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed no communal riots. "If Hindus are safe, then Muslims are also safe. Before 2017, riots in UP meant both Hindu and Muslim shops and homes were burning. But after 2017, the riots stopped." Expanding on his views, Adityanath said, "A Muslim family is the safest among 100 Hindu families. They can freely practice their religion. But can 50 Hindus feel safe among 100 Whatever it is, we will find it. We will show the world. Those whom God has given eyes, let them see. What happened in Sambhal? Sambhal is the truth – Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Muslim families? No. Look at Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan—history has shown us what happens." On ongoing religious site disputes, Adityanath called Hindu religious sites India's heritage. Regarding the Samb- DELHI TERMS USCIRF REPORT ‘MOTIVATED’ PTI EPFO to allow PF withdrawals via UPI, ATMs by mid-2025 Russia dragging feet on Ukraine deal: Trump India has lashed out at a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and said its "persistent" attempts to cast aspersions on the country's vibrant multicultural society reflect a "deliberate" agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom. On Wednesday New Delhi described the report as "biased and politically motivated" and said the efforts to "undermine" India's standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed, adding the USCIRF should be designated as an "entity of concern". In its 2025 annual report, the USCIRF alleged that religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate as attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continued to rise. The USCIRF is an indepen- A Raipur, Durg and Bhilai. CBI conducted a search operation on Wednesday at the house of former CM Baghel in the early morning hours. In carrying out raid at Bhupesh Baghel's residence in Bhilai-3 Padum Nagar four teams were engaged.The central investigating agency team also conducted raids at the house of MLA Devendra Yadav's house situated in Sector 5 Bhilai, IPS Abhishek Pallav's residence in Sector 9 and the house of constables Nakul and Sahdev in Nehru Nagar. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 A recent survey on Narmada’s ghats has painted a grim picture of environmental degradation, lack of basic amenities and serious safety concern. The report states that chemical farming near 66% of the ghats is polluting the river, while 76% suffer from poor waste management, turning these once-sacred sites into envi- ronmental hazards. Pilgrims, too, face major inconveniences, as only 11% of ghats provide changing rooms, creating discomfort, especially for women. Only 19.9% of the ghats have toilets, while 807 ghats have no security barrier, putting visitors at risk. Lighting conditions are equally dire, with 770 ghats struggling with inadequate illumination, increasing the chances of accidents after dark.Out U.S. intelligence report has identified India and China as “state actors” directly and indirectly enabling transnational drug networks. The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, marks the first time India has been equated with China in supplying precursor chemicals for illicit drug manufacturing. The report claims that state actors, including India, provide precursors and equipment to drug traffickers, exacerbating global security risks. The categorization of India as a “state actor” suggests potential government complicity—deliberate or inadvertent—raising diplomatic concerns. The release follows Tulsi Gabbard’s India visit. The report has identified China as the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment, with India following as a secondary source. U.S. President Donald Trump told the right-wing cable channel Newsmax on Tuesday that while he believes Russia “wants to see an end” to the war in Ukraine, Moscow may be deliberately delaying a peace agreement. "I don't know. I mean, I'll let you know at a certain point. But I think Russia wants to see an end to it, but they could be dragging their feet," Trump told Newsmax host Greg Kelly during an interview from the White House’s Roosevelt Room. Drawing from his business experience, Trump compared Russia’s approach to contract negotiations. “I've done it over the years, you know. I don’t want to sign a contract—I want to stay in the game, but maybe I don’t want to do it quite yet… I'm not sure.” Trump also acknowledged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants the dent, bipartisan US federal government agency. It makes policy recommendations to the US President, Secretary of State, and Congress and tracks the implementation of these recommendations. It recommended to the US government to impose "targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, such as Vikash Yadav and RAW, for their culpability in severe violations of religious freedom by freezing their assets and/or barring their entry into the United States". The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is likely to introduce a major change that will allow its members to withdraw their provident fund (PF) instantly through UPI and ATMs by the end of May or early June 2025. With this update, employees will no longer have to go through long and timeconsuming procedures to access their PF savings. The initiative is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and has received approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). This move is expected to bring greater convenience to millions of EPFO members across the country. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 GE delivers first engine for Tejas MK 1A RBI call for synergy against terror financing, money laundering ANI Palazhi Ashok Kumar NEW DELHI MUMBAI GE Aerospace has delivered the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A fight jet, the company said on Wednesday. "On Tuesday (March 25), we were excited to deliver the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to our valued customer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A fight jet," the company added. According to a blog on the company's website, the F404-IN20 engine is a tailored design for India's single-engine fighter with the highest thrust within the F404 family and a higherflow fan, unique single-crystal turbine blades, and numerous special components. Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday said threats from money laundering and terror financing to the national and global financial systems are continuously evolving and becoming more sophisticated primarily due to technological advancements.  Malhotra called for close cooperation among various stakeholders—government agencies, financial entities in the public and private sectors, civil society, and others—to effectively counter these threats. Strong public-private partnerships, RBI Governor said, form the bedrock for safeguarding the integrity of the financial system. He further emphasized that “through our collaborative efforts, we can safeguard the trust that underpins the global financial framework. “While we all continue to make our financial systems safe and secure against money laundering and terror financing, we as policymakers need to be mindful that our Conducted by the Atal Bihari Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis, the "Maa Narmada Ghat Sarvekshan Report 2024" assessed 861 ghats along the river and found a startling lack of basic infrastructure. of 861 ghats, there are 223 such ghats whichhave an adjoining drain (nullah) that falls in sacred Narmada. The neglect extends 4Continued on | P8 FP News Service measures are not over-zealous and do not stifle legitimate activities and investments. Multiple laws and rules, each with their own level of granularity cast a high level of burden of compliance on the regulated financial service providers,” he added. “We need to have laws and regulations which, with surgical precision, target only the illegitimate and illicit, rather than use them as blunt tools which unintentionally hurt even the honest,” he added. “Let’s build financial systems that not only thwart the attempts of money laundering, terror financing and proliferation financing, but also support financial inclusion, encourage innovation, and facilitate economic growth. 4Continued on | P8 Narmada ghats gasp for breath amid pollution, apathy: Report Rajan Raikwar The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused an urgent mentioning of a plea seeking a direction to Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the alleged discovery of semi-burnt stash of cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. A bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna was urged by lawyer Mathews J Nedumpara that the plea be listed for urgent hearing before a bench as it pertained to larger public interest. The CJI, who has stopped the practice of oral mentioning of cases for urgent listing, said that the plea would come up. MUMBAI offgrid BHOPAL NEW DELHI IANS India is a ‘state actor’ Congress party condemned the action and said the raids were politically motivated. 15 days ago, ED conducted raids and now CBI. Action indicates that raids are biased, Congress State President Dipak Baij said. Online report ance. On the Mathura mosque dispute, he said, "We are abiding by the court's decision; otherwise, who knows what could have happened by now?" Defending his administration's bulldozer policy against alleged illegal structures, Adityanath justified the crackdown. "Those who take the law into their own hands will face consequences within the legal framework. If someone comes at us with violence, should we just stand there? No, we will respond accordingly." Referring to the Ghazi Salar Masood fair, once held in Sambhal and Bahraich, he declared that there is no place for "attackers" in New India. NEW DELHI Cong condemns raids Plea on FIR on Justice Varma cash case listed hal controversy, he said: "Whatever it is, we will find it. We will show the world. Those whom God has given eyes, let them see. What happened in Sambhal? Sambhal is the truth." Yogi Adityanath vowed to restore every temple in Sambhal, asserting that over 54 pilgrimage sites have already been identified, with efforts underway to locate the rest. He emphasized that key sites of Sanatan Hindu Dharma are integral to India’s heritage. Addressing the issue of mosques built on the ruins of Hindu temples, he remarked, "Islam says that worship places constructed after destroying Hindu temples are not accepted by God. Then why were they built?" He reiterated that significant Sanatan Dharma sites represent India's inherit- NEW DELHI CBI raids premises of ex-CM Baghel RAIPUR iii QUALITY @ VALUE MONEY Sports UNEARTHED ESTD-1983 beyond infrastructure to the religious and cultural heritage of the ghats. Only 22% of the ghats witness the revered Narmada Aarti, while 33% of major ghats lack proper signboards and directional indicators, leaving pilgrims and tourists confused. Out of the 861 ghats, there are only 163 display signs for the "Parikrama Path," making the pilgrimage route tough for many. To combat this crisis, the report suggests an urgent government intervention to restore and modernise the ghats. It recommends developing model ghats inspired by Varanasi’s Namo Ghat and Uttarakhand’s Chandi Ghat while also promoting organic farming by offering farmers financial aid for three years. A strict ban on plastic and hazardous materials is also proposed, besides plan to increase greenery and sustainable landscaping. Floating hospitals could be expanded to all major ghats, providing much-needed healthcare access to pilgrims. Moreover, efforts should be made to improve security, signage and lighting across these spiritual sites. war to end. However, he reiterated earlier claims that Ukraine was not “ready” for peace, a stance Kyiv has consistently rejected. He painted a grim picture of the conflict, claiming that a combined 2,500 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are dying each week. “They're not Americans, but that doesn’t matter to me from that standpoint,” he said. “I see the pictures of the battlefields; I’d rather not even see them. We have arms and legs and heads all over the field. The weaponry is ridiculous. It’s a big drone deal now… And I just want to see it stop." 4Continued on | P8 SC slams order of Allahabad HC Online Report NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Allahabad High Court’s controversial ruling that grabbing the breasts of a girl, breaking the string of her pyjama, and attempting to drag her beneath a culvert did not constitute an attempt to rape. The High Court had instead catego- The Bench, called the order “shocking,” criticised its observations as displaying “total insensitivity” rised the crime as 'aggravated sexual assault' under the POCSO Act, which carries a lesser punishment, reported Live Law. A Supreme Court bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and A.G. Masih, taking suo motu cognisance of the case following widespread public outrage, expressed its strong disagreement with the High Court’s stance. The bench called the order “shocking” and criticised its observations as displaying “total insensitivity and an inhuman approach.” The judgment, delivered after four months of deliberation, suggested a conscious decision by the High Court. However, the Supreme Court noted that the ruling was legally flawed and lacked sensitivity, prompting it to stay the observations.