FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 300 | INDORE | TUESDAY | APRIL 8, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN WORLD Sports THE BODY’S VERDICT Dhoni on IPL future P.13 TARIFF-IED FP News Service MUMBAI Even as global markets were hammered by a third consecutive day of steep losses triggered by the Trump administration’s sweeping tariff measures, the US president showed no signs of backing off. Rather his cockiness was again on display when he said there's 'no  inflation' and threatened  China with additional 50% tariffs if Beijing does not withdraw its 34% retaliatory tariffs on Washington. On Monday, the S&P 500 swung wildly with each share falling in the range of a 20% drop since the last peak, dovetailing huge losses in Asia and Europe and reinforcing fears of a global economic downturn. In India, the Sensex plunged 2,226.79 points, while the Nifty slumped 742.85 points, wiping off a staggering Rs20 lakh crore in market capitalisation in a matter of moments. Even as the sell-off gathered pace worldwide, US President Donald Trump dug in his heels. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “Oil prices are down, interest rates are down (the slow moving Fed should cut rates!), food prices are down, there is NO INFLATION, and the long time abused USA is bringing in Billions of Dollars a week from the abusing countries on tariffs that are already in place.” US indices closed sharply lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 5.97%, the Nasdaq retreating 5.82%, and the Dow Jones shedding 5.5%. 4Continued on | P8 BHOPAL NASHIK Crash course in economics Sensex plunges 2,226.79 points, wiping off a staggering Rs20 lakh crore in market capitalisation in a matter of moments. n FIIs offload equities worth Rs 9,000 cr n India Volatility Index soars 60% n Four billionaires lose $10.3 bn n Bear hammering hits Wall Street n Dow, S&P 500 down n Oil prices crash to $60, a barrel TRUMP TWEETS, DALAL STREET SINKS Signal to calm markets, public ndia’s top four billionaires have experienced a cumulative $10.3 billion drop in their net worth due to the market selloff. Mukesh Ambani, the wealthiest individual in India, saw his fortune decline by $3.6 billion, bringing his net worth to $87.7 billion. Gautam Adani, the second richest, faced a $3 billion rout, reducing his wealth to $57.3 billion. Savitri Jindal & family's net worth fell by $2.2 billion to $33.9 billion, while Shiv Nadar's fortune diminished by $1.5 billion, leaving him with $30.9 billion. ndian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on Monday that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the early conclusion of a bilateral trade agreement. Both sides, he noted, agreed on the importance of finalising the deal soon. In a parallel move aimed at stabilising the market sentiment, India raised excise duties on petrol and diesel without passing the burden on to consumers. The decision is expected to bolster government tax revenues amid falling global oil prices. fp I Briefs BOMB SCARE ON INDIGO NEW DELHI The Power of Words @Free Press Winners and runners-up of 'The Power of Words' competition organised by Free Press pose with guests Sri Aurobindo College Principal Dr Jyoti Bindal, Shri Vaishnav Vidyapeeth Vishwavidyalaya VC Upinder Dhar, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya VC Dr Rakesh Singhai and Renaissance University VC Dr Rakesh Dikshit See Page 2 Pic: PINTU NAMDEV BLAZING MONDAY: 16 DISTS SIZZLE AT OVER 40° CELSIUS The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea seeking a directive to the Election Commission of India for 100 per cent manual counting of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips alongside the electronic count from the control unit. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan was hearing a special leave petition filed by Hans Raj Jain, challenging the Delhi High Court's judgment dated 12 August 2024. Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Temperature continued its upward climb across the state on Monday, with 16 districts breaching the 40°C mark. Narmadapuram emerged as the hottest spot in the state, recording a searing 44.3°C. Bhopal was not far behind, clocking in at 41.6°C during the day and 22.7°C at night. Indore too faced the heat, with a maximum of 40.6°C and a night temperature of 23.0°C. Eastern Madhya Pradesh saw more districts crossing the 40°C threshold compared to the western part. Among the hotter districts were Ratlam (44°C), Mercury Meter Narmadapuram Ratlam Guna Sagar Dhar Mandla Damoh Bhopal Satna Seoni Jabalpur Indore Umaria Khargone 44.3 44.0 43.0 42.6 42.4 42.2 42.0 41.6 41.0 41.0 40.7 40.6 40.4 40.2 Guna (43°C), Sagar (42.6°C), Dhar (42.4°C) and Mandla (42.2°C). Other regions above 40°C included Damoh, Satna, Seoni, Jabalpur, Umaria, Khar- MATCH NO. 23 PBKS Vs CSK CHANDIGARH; 7.30 PM (Detail on Sports Page) 4Continued on | P8 SC upholds 27% OBC quota in MP Rejects Youth for MP High Court had earlier dismissed Equality's plea Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s order allowing 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the state and dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Youth for Equality. The petition had challenged the Kamal Nath-led Congress government’s move in March 2019 to raise OBC reservation from 14% to 27%. The apex court’s ruling makes it clear that there is no constitutional restriction on implementing 27% reservation for OBCs in Madhya Pradesh. The principal bench of the MP High gone, Nowgong and Malajhkhand. Night temperaturehovered on the warmer side too, with Khandwa and Dhar recording minimum above 25°C. Sagar led the night readings with 26°C. According to the meteorological department, heat wave conditions were observed in Ratlam, and the hot spell has begun creeping in from the border districts of Rajasthan. The heat wave is expected to gradually impact Gwalior and Chambal divisions as well. To add to the woes, a western disturbance is likely to develop from April 8, which will further intensify the scorcher across central India, including Madhya Pradesh. Rana's plea on extradition stay rejected PTI Court had earlier dismissed multiple petitions challenging the 87:13 formula, thereby clearing the way for enhanced OBC quota on January 28, 2025. The High Court bench comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain had stated that the petitioners had contested a government circular, not the legislation itself. 4Continued on | P8 March 2019: The 27% quota was originally introduced by the Kamal Nath-led Congress government. However, the High Court imposed a stay the same month, citing Supreme Court precedents that cap total reservation at 50%. September 2021: The General Administration Department (GAD) issued a circular allowing 27% reservation with exclusions in select subjects. August 2023: the HC adopted an 87:13 formula, temporarily holding back 13% of posts impacted by the new quota until legal clarity. Damoh’s fake doctor nabbed in Prayagraj The Damoh police on Monday arrested Narendra Yadav, the fake doctor who posed as Dr. N. John Kem, from his hideout in Prayagrajin the much-talkedabout fake degree case involving fraudulent surgeries at Christian Mission Hospital, Damoh. Despite the arrest, no FIR has been filed against the hospital director or the management, drawing sharp criticism from complainants. Speaking to Free Press, Damoh SP Shuritkirti Somwanshi said, “Our teams were tracking Yadav and detained him from a flat in Prayagraj. He was hiding there along with an associate who was also taken into custody. Both are being multiple petitions challenging the 87:13 formula, thereby clearing the way for enhanced OBC quota on January 28, 2025 WAQF LAW: AIMPLB MOVES SC FP News Service NEW DELHI brought back to Damoh for questioning.” The police also conducted a search of the flat, recovering several documents and papers, some of which are suspected to be related to the ongoing fraud case. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has moved the Supreme Court against the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Earlier in the day, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan agreed to consider, listing for an urgent hearing, the plea of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and others, including Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on the issue. Kapil Sibal will appear for Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament after heated debates in both houses. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Strict action to be taken: CM Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the Health Department to take strict action after NHRC cited a complaint claiming seven persons died in a missionary hospital in Damoh where a fake doctor operated on patients in the name of treating heart disease. NEW YORK The US Supreme Court has denied Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's application seeking a stay on his extradition to India. Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. He had submitted an "Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus" on February 27, with Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the US and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit. Earlier last month, Kagan had denied the application. Minor boy held for raping mentally-challenged sister Police lay hands on wrongdoer after four years of inquiry FP News Service BALAGHAT A 16-year-old boy, detained for raping his 14-year-old sister, was sent to judicial custody on Monday. The police laid their hands on the boy after four years of inquiry. The police identified the criminal with the DNA test. A complaint was lodged at the police in April 2021under Balaghat Kotwali police station that the youth raped his physically and mentally challenged sister. The incident came to light after the girl was found to be pregnant. Afterwards, a case was registered against an unidentified culprit under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The mother of the girl lodged a complaint at the police station stating that she and her husband worked as daily-rated employees, and as the girl was physically and mentally challenged, she was allowed not go out. In the past four years, the police questioned more than 50 people about the case. DNA of some suspects was also tested. After the DNA test, it came to light her 16-year-old brother raped her in the absence of her parents. The boy was sent to juvenile jail.< 4Continued on | P8 offgrid MATCH NO. 22 KOLKATA; 3.30 PM LPG cylinders, both Ujjwala and non-Ujjwala, will be Rs 50 dearer starting Tuesday, Minister Hardeep Puri announced on Monday at a press conference. "The price per cylinder of LPG will increase by Rs 50. From Rs 500, it will go up to Rs 550 (for PMUY beneficiaries), and for others, it will go up from Rs 803 to Rs 853," the minister said. "This is a step which we will review as we go along," he added. The government has also hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each but there will be no change in retail prices as the increase will be adjusted against the price cut that was warranted because of falling international oil prices. The excise duty on petrol was hiked to Rs 13 per litre and that on diesel to Rs 10 a litre, an official order showed. The increase in duties will "come into force on the 8th day of April, 2025," it said. While any change in taxes are normally passed on to consumers, there will be no change in retail selling price of petrol and diesel as the excise hike will be set off against the reduction Our Staff Reporter Narmadapuram hottest at 44.3°C KKR Vs LSG FP News Service NEW DELHI BHOPAL VVPAT SLIPS SC SAYS ‘NO’ Today in IPL NOW, PAY RS 50 MORE FOR LPG No action against hosp director; police seize documents, probe expands MUMBAI A city-bound IndiGo flight from Jaipur has landed in Mumbai under full emergency conditions due to a bomb threat, sources said. The flight landed safely at around 8.50 pm and the aircraft is currently parked at a remote bay as part of the security protocol, they said. The number of people on board was not immediately known. Without giving the specifics, the source said that a note of a bomb threat to the flight was found in one of the aircraft's lavatories, after which the flight made an emergency landing. E-paper Cinema Actors’ safety now a regular concern? P.14 4 billionaires lose $10.3 bn I MUMBAI Edit Rejig in CPM, revival the goal P.6 Tariffs could impact GDP by over 2%: Chinese economist NO BACKING OFF | In the face of global selloff, Trump displays his cockiness again, threatens China with extra 50% tariff PUNE Complete breakdown of law in UP, says court FP News Service MUMBAI The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a stinging rebuke to the Uttar Pradesh Police for routinely attempting to convert civil disputes into criminal cases, describing the trend as indicative of a “complete breakdown of the rule of law.” Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna cautioned that the apex court would impose penalties on the police in future cases if such petitions continued to be filed. The case in question involves a financial dispute, where the UP Police filed a chargesheet seeking criminal prosecution. The petitioner alleged that bribes were paid to the police to escalate what was essentially a civil disagreement into a criminal matter. Slamming the police’s conduct, the Supreme Court stayed the criminal proceedings and directed UP Director General of Police Prashant Kumar and the investigating officer (IO) to submit their responses within Apex court rebukes UP police for converting civil disputes into criminal cases two weeks. “What is happening in UP is entirely unacceptable,” CJI Khanna remarked, according to LiveLaw. “Every day, civil suits are being turned into criminal cases. This is absurd—merely failing to repay money cannot amount to a criminal offence. I will ask the IO to step into the witness box and justify this as a criminal matter. Let him learn his lesson. This is not how chargesheets are supposed to be filed.” The Chief Justice further criticised the legal fraternity in the state, suggesting that many advocates seemed to have forgotten that civil jurisdiction still exists. While the court agreed to pass over the matter temporarily, it issued a stern warning: 4Continued on | P8 VIRAT KOHLI has scripted history by becoming the fastest Indian batter to score 13000 T20 runs. He achieved the feat during the IPL 2025 encounter between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. The star batter also become the first Indian cricketer to score 13000 runs in the shortest format of the game.