FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 294 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | APRIL 8, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD Sports THE BODY’S VERDICT Dhoni on IPL future P.13 Tariffs could impact GDP by over 2%: Chinese economist UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema Actors’ safety now a regular concern? P.14 TRUMP TARIFF SENDS MARKET INTO TAILSPIN At one point during morning trade, investors' wealth eroded sharply by Rs 20.16 lakh crore PTI Dalal Street investors were a poorer lot on Monday as their wealth eroded sharply by Rs 14 lakh crore following a sharp decline in benchmark indices amid a global market meltdown due to recession fears. The 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 2,226.79 points or 2.95 per cent to settle at 73,137.90. Intra-day, the benchmark slumped 3,939.68 points or 5.22 per cent to 71,425.01. Mirroring the bearish trend in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms declined sharply by Rs 14,09,225.71 crore to Rs 3,89,25,660.75 crore (USD 4.54 trillion) in a single day. At one point during the morning trade, investors' wealth eroded sharply by Rs 20.16 lakh crore. All Sensex firms, except for Hindustan Unilever, ended lower. Tata Steel fell the most by 7.73 per cent followed by LPG PRICE HIKED BY RS 50 The government on Monday hiked the cooking gas price by a steep Rs 50 per cylinder and raised excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each, but without changing retail prices. The increase in cooking gas price will be for the Ujjawala - poor beneficiaries who got LPG connection free of cost - and the general users, and will be effective from April 8, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Larsen & Toubro which cracked 5.78 per cent. Tata Motors, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, Infosys, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HCL Technologies and HDFC Bank were the other big laggards. Hindustan Unilever ended marginally higher. In Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index tanked more than 13 per cent, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 plunged nearly 8 per cent, Shanghai SSE Composite index dropped over 7 per cent and South Korea's Kospi sank over 5 per cent. European markets too came under heavy selling pressure and were trading with over 4 per cent decline. US markets ended significantly lower on Friday. The S&P 500 tanked 5.97 per cent, Nasdaq composite slumped 5.82 per cent, and the Dow tumbled 5.50 per cent on Friday. "Benchmark indices plunged on Monday as global markets across the world crashed on the escalating trade war. Global markets are witnessing a deepening rout with sell-offs across the re- gions and asset classes. Markets opened at steep losses with Nifty-50 opening below 22k after Asian indices from Japan to Korea to China had witnessed record losses and US futures indicated another session of steep drawdown," Satish Chandra Aluri, Analyst, Lemonn Markets Desk, said. Recession was not a base case until last week, but it is quickly becoming the base case for markets, as they quickly price in the recession risks with global economic/trade order expected to undergo a dramatic shift, he added. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dropped 2.30 per cent to USD 64.11 a barrel. The BSE smallcap gauge cracked 4.13 per cent, and the midcap index tanked 3.46 per cent. "After US markets plunged on Friday, it was writing on the wall for other global equity indices which fell like a pack of cards amid fears that Trump's policies on reciprocal tariffs may lead to recession and higher inflation in the US going ahead. resident Donald Trump remained defiant Monday as global markets continued plunging after his tariff announcement last week. Trump has insisted his tariffs are necessary to rebalance global trade and rebuild domestic manufacturing. He's singled out China as "the biggest abuser of them all" and criticised Beijing for increasing its own tariffs in retaliation. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he didn't want global markets to fall, but also that he wasn't concerned about the massive sell-off either, adding, "sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something." CHENNAI Kamra’s interim bail extended The Madras High Court on Monday extended till April 17, the interim anticipatory bail granted to comedian Kunal Kamra, who apprehended arrest in connection with his stand up comedy on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Justice Sunder Mohan also directed the petitioner, Kamra to take steps to approach the concerned courts. NEW DELHI Plea on VVPAT slips counting The Supreme Court on Monday refused to examine a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India for a 100 per cent manual counting of voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips in addition to electronic counting by the control unit. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan was dealing with the plea of one Hans Raj Jain. Today in IPL Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Damoh police on Monday arrested Narendra Yadav, the fake doctor who posed as Dr. N. John Kem, from his hideout in Prayagrajin the muchtalked-about 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, Such incidents happen in big city: K'taka min on woman’s molestation PTI BENGALURU A big city like Bengaluru does witness incidents like molestation of women here and there though there is peace in the city due to police presence, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Monday. In the wake of the alleged molestation of a woman, he said whenever such an incident happens, it draws public attention. T h e Minister said he gives instructions to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda on a daily basis to strengthen patrolling and monitoring system. He was responding to the MATCH NO. 22 KKR Vs LSG KOLKATA; 3.30 PM MATCH NO. 23 PBKS Vs CSK CHANDIGARH; 7.30 PM (Detail on Sports Page) incident where a woman was molested in a secluded place in Suddaguntepalya. "Police are working continuously round-the-clock ignoring rain and cold. That is why there is peace in Bengaluru. In a big city like Bengaluru, here and there incidents like this do take place," the Minister said. 4Continued on | P8 For the first time in its history, Madhya Pradesh has welcomed two male King Cobras, brought to Van Vihar National Park from Pilikula Biological Park, Karnataka. The snakes arrived early Monday morning via road as part of an animal exchange programme, under which Van Vihar will send a pair of tigers to the Karnataka-based park in return. The arrival of King Cobras has generated great excitement among Van Vihar officials, as this marks a new milestone in the park's animal diversity. King Cobras are among the most venomous snakes in the world, capable of killing a person within minutes. Adding to the danger, there is currently no known anti-venom specifically for King Cobra bites, making their handling extremely risky. To ensure safe manage- 27% quota in certain other petitions, but upheld the core provision. A total of 76 petitions were filed in MP High Court both supporting and opposing the move while challenging the 87:13 formula related to recruitment and appointment. Senior advocate Rameshwar Thakur said, “The Supreme Court has rejected the SLP filed by Youth for Equality and upheld the MP High Court’s Ja- nuary 28, 2025 order permitting 27% OBC reservation.” Reacting on social media, Congress leader Kamal Nath wrote on X, “My government had introduced 27% OBC reservation, but the BJP government has been creating unconstitutional obstacles to deny OBCs the benefits of reservation. Both the High Court and Supreme Court have now made it clear— there is no restriction on implementing 27% OBC reservation.” Blazing Monday: 16 districts sizzle over 40° Celsius Narmadapuram hottest at 44.3°C tor’s family background remains largely unknown, and investigations are on. The fake doctor was reportedly hired by the hospital through a recruitment agency, whose contact details are now unreachable. A search has been launched to trace the agency. While the hospital management’s role is still under scanner, the police have not yet registered any case against Dr. Ajay Lal, head of the Christian Mission Hospital, or other members of the management committee. 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. 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), 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, Khargone, Nowgong and Malajhkhand. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 NEW YORK SC to decide on listing of pleas against Waqf law Rana's plea on extradition stay rejected 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” on February 27. Facts King Cobras are known not just for their deadly venom but also for their size. They can grow up to 19 feet in length and are capable of raising their hood as high as five feet, making them one of the most formidable reptiles on the planet. ment, a special team of forest staff was earlier sent to Pilikula to receive hands-on training in handling these highly venomous reptiles. August 2023: the HC adopted an 87:13 formula, temporarily holding back 13% of posts impacted by the new quota until legal clarity. OUR STAFF REPORTER PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider listing for urgent hearing the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan took note of the Van Vihar gets 2 male King Cobras from K’taka Our Staff Reporter September 2021: The General Administration Department (GAD) issued a circular allowing 27% reservation with exclusions in select subjects. BHOPAL offgrid BHOPAL 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%. FP News Service 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. tered at Kotwali police station late Sunday night under sections 420, 467, and 468 of IPC for cheating and forgery using fake and fabricated documents. The case came into focus after Yadav, using forged degrees under the name Dr. N. John Kem, allegedly performed fake angiography and angioplasty surgeries at the hospital. The real Dr. N. John Kem is a practising doctor in Britain, police said, while the impersonator, Narendra Yadav, is a resident of Uttarakhand. SP Somwanshi said that the doc- 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 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. The bench maintained a stay on the implementation of the multiple petitions challenging the 87:13 formula, thereby clearing the way for enhanced OBC quota on January 28, 2025 BALAGHAT Strict action to be taken: CM 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 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. These materials have been seized for further investigation. Earlier, an FIR was regis- Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Police lay hands on wrongdoer after four years Damoh’s fake doctor nabbed in Prayagraj No action against hosp director; police seize documents, probe expands Rejects Youth for MP High Court had earlier dismissed Equality's plea Minor boy rapes mentally challenged sister P Briefs Apex court upholds 27% OBC quota in MP 4Continued on | P8 NOT BACKING DOWN ON TARIFFS: TRUMP fp E-paper Edit Rejig in CPM, revival the goal P.6 BLOODBATH ON DALAL STREET | Stock market crash wipes out Rs 14 lakh cr from investors kitty as Sensex tumbled 2,226.79 points NEW DELHI MUMBAI Their training focused on understanding the behaviour of King Cobra and precautions required during feeding and cleaning routines. One of the biggest challenges now facing Van Vihar staff is arranging an appropriate diet for King Cobras, as these snakes feed exclusively on other snakes. Ensuring a regular and safe food supply will be a key concern moving forward. A special enclosure has already been constructed within Van Vihar to house the new arrivals. 4Continued on | P8 AIMPLB moves SC The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has moved the Supreme Court against the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, that there were several petitions on the issue and they needed to 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 be listed for urgent hearing. Besides Sibal, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and lawyer Nizam Pasha mentioned other petitions for urgent listing. The CJI, who has done away with the practice of oral mentioning of cases for urgent listing, asked the lawyers to file letters or send mails for getting the matters listed before a bench. 4Continued on | P8 BJP tops list of nat’l parties with Rs 2,243 cr donations PTI NEW DELHI The BJP received the highest amount in large donations among national parties in the financial year 202324, with over Rs 2,243 crore declared from 8,358 donations, according to a report by poll rights body the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The report, based on data submitted to the Election Commission, highlighted trends in political donations above Rs 20,000. The total declared donations to national parties stood at Rs 2,544.28 crore from 12,547 contributions - a sharp 199 per cent increase compared to the previous year. BJP's declared donations alone accounted for 88 per cent of the total. The Congress was a very distant second with Rs 281.48 crore from 1,994 donations. 4Continued on | P8