Friday, May 9, 2025 | 29 Pages | `5 & for State (+6 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 185 | 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 US Secy of State Rubio speaks to Jaishankar, Pak PM Sharif calls for de-escalation PTI NEW DELHI Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is learnt to have recommended to the Centre impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma following his indictment in the cash discovery row by a Supreme Court-appointed committee. The CJI wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared the report of the threemember committee along with the response received from Justice Varma. The move assumes significance in the wake of the established in-house procedure which entails the CJI writing to President and Prime Minister for impeachment after their advice to the judge to resign is not complied with. "Chief Justice of India, in terms of the in-house procedure, has written to President of India and the Prime Minister of India enclosing therewith copy of the threemember committee report dated May 3 along with the letter/response dated May 6 received from Justice Yashwant Varma," the apex court said in a statement. The apex court-appointed panel confirmed the cash discovery allegations against Justice Varma in its inquiry report, sources previously said. 4Contd on | Nation No Indian jet shot down, says Misri ANI NEW DELHI Dismissing Pakistan’s claims that it had downed Indian jets, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called the claims baseless propaganda, calling it part of a long-standing pattern of misinformation. He further recalled how Pakistan has been resorting to falsehoods since its inception in 1947, including its denial of involvement in the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir before the United Nations. He also says India has not targeted the Neelam-Jhelum dam in PoJK Addressing a press briefing on Thursday, Misri said, "There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born. In 1947, when the Pakistani army claimed Jammu and Kashmir, they lied not to any random person but to the United Nations that we have nothing to do with it. So this journey started 75 years ago.” 4Contd on | Nation Indian Navy hits Pakistani ports STRONG SHIELD | Hours after foiled bid to target 15 cities, Pak launched swarm drones, 8 missile attacks on parts of J&K, Rajasthan, Punjab on Thursday night PEHLE ROKAA, PHIR THOKAA FPJ News Service NEW DELHI In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Pakistan late on Thursday night launched a coordinated assault using missiles and drones at several strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan. India’s air defence forces responded with remarkable precision, intercepting and neutralising all incoming missiles, thereby preventing any major damage. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Pakistan had launched eight missiles targeting Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and the Arnia sector, all of which were intercepted mid-air. No casualties or infrastructural damage have been reported, thanks to the effective deployment of advanced air defence systems. As a precautionary measure, blackouts were imposed in multiple regions to prevent targeting by hostile surveillance. India hits back with attacks on Islamabad, Sialkot, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Peshawar In a calibrated retaliation after neutralising the Pakistani attack, Indian forces launched drone strikes on Pakistani territory, specifically targeting military installations in Lahore, Sialkot and other major cities. According to officials, Air Defence successfully intercepted drones launched by Pakistan at the Jammu airport, airbase con- OP SINDOOR TRADEMARK Reliance applies, then withdraws PTI NEW DELHI Reliance Industries Ltd has withdrawn its trademark application for the term 'Operation Sindoor' - the codename for India's military strikes in Pakistan - stating that it was inadvertently filed by a junior employee without authorisation. In a statement, Reliance said it has no intention of "trademarking Operation Sindoor, a phrase which is now a part of the national consciousness as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery". "Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation," it said. Earlier, four applications, including one by Reliance, were filed with the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks on Wednesday, seeking to 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | Money firming no casualties were reported. In a coordinated response, Indian defence systems also shot down drones over Udhampur. The overnight attack caused power disruptions at Vaishno Devi shrine, triggering a complete blackout. Similar power outages were reported in Srinagar, where authorities implemented emergency protocols amid heightened security alerts. In addition to Jammu and Srinagar, Pakistan targeted key cities including Udhampur, Akhnoor, and Pathankot. This marks the second failed offensive launched by Pakistan in recent weeks. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | Nation FPJ News Desk MUMBAI ANI CJI proposes impeachment Edit CPM welcomes Gautam Adani AFP JUSTICE VARMA CASE Cinema Tarun Mansukhani returns with star-studded Housefull 5 Red-hot RCB aim to seal IPL play-off spot against underpressure LSG (Left) Scene at Salamabad village in Uri, after shelling by Pak artillery and (above) a structure damaged by an Indian strike near Lahore 16 lives have been lost as Pakistan increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery. Modi takes stock Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a number of meetings with senior officials to discuss the ongoing Operation Sindoor and preparations to minimise losses within the country. One of his first meetings of the day was with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who met him at his residence. Doval, who had also briefed the PM on Wednesday following the start on Operation Sindoor, had subsequently reached out to his counterparts in various countries to explain India’s actions against terror following the Pahalgam attack. Doval is also learnt to have spoken to his Pakistani counterpart in a bid to prevent any major escalation. While India had struck nine terrorist camps and locations across Pakistan at the start of the operation, it targeted more sites in different cities on Thursday. Overall, there are around 42 sites which India has identified as launchpads, training camps or harbouring areas for terrorists. Doval also briefed the PM on how attempts by Pakistan to target various Indian cities and installations had been thwarted. He also spoke about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir where several people were killed in Pakistani firing across the Line of Control (LoC). 4Contd on | Nation The Indian Navy has swung into action and its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, stationed in the Arabian Sea, reportedly launched missile strikes on key Pakistani naval bases, causing major destruction and panic along the neighbour’s coastline. It is the first time after 1971 that the Indian Navy opened front against Pakistan. Sources said INS Vikrant fired multiple missiles at Karachi and Ormara ports. The attacks caused major destruction and panic among people. “INS Vikrant ne Karachi ko nishane par lekar bhaari tabahi machani shuru kar di hai. Nausena ke hamle se Karachi ke bandargah samet shehar mein bhaari aag lagi hui FPJ News Service Dubey rebuked The Supreme Court has firmly reiterated the supremacy of the Constitution over all branches of government, dismissing recent assertions of parliamentary primacy made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated that the judiciary’s power of review is a constitutional mandate—not an overreach reported Live Law. Dhankhar had sharply criticised the Court for setting deadlines for the President and Governors to act on Bills, claiming the judiciary was trying to become a “super Parliament.” In response, the bench observed, “Each branch of the State in a democracy… acts within the framework of the Constitution. It is the Constitution that is higher than all of us.” 4Contd on | Nation The Supreme Court has strongly criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his incendiary remarks against the apex court and Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. Dubey accused the court of steering the country towards anarchy and blamed the CJI for “civil wars taking place in the country” — a charge the bench described as scandalous and irresponsible reported Live Law. A bench comprising CJI Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, while hearing a contempt plea against Dubey on May 5, dismissed the petition but delivered a stinging rebuke in its written order released Thursday. The judges stated Dubey’s comments were “ludicrous” and aimed at lowering the authority of the judiciary. “We are firm in our opinion that courts are not as fragile as flowers to wither and wilt under such ludicrous statements,” the bench observed. It noted that the remarks had the clear intent to impute motives and obstruct the administration of justice. Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told the all-party meeting called to apprise leaders of various parties about Operation Sindoor -- that was launched on Wednesday as India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attacks -- that the operation was still going on and India would respond proportionately if Pakistan chose to escalate the situation. Singh said Operation Sindoor, under which terror sites offgrid Metro 3, Phase 2 set for Saturday launch Sweety Bhagwat MUMBAI MMRC Mumbai is poised to open another leg of its first underground Metro, with Phase 2 of Metro Line 3 — the Aqua Line — set to become operational from Saturday, May 10. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to take a preview ride on Friday (May 9) from Bandra Kurla PTI Complex (BKC) to Siddhivinayak station, ahead of the line's public opening. The new 9.6-km underground stretch extends the existing corridor from BKC up to Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli Naka, adding six new stations between Dharavi and Worli. This follows the recent safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), the final hurdle before commencing commercial operations. Currently, a 12.69-km stretch of Metro Line 3 — from Aarey to BKC — is operational, with 11 stations, including 10 underground and one at-grade station at Aarey, which also houses the Metro 3 car shed. 4Contd on | Mumbai President Droupadi Murmu has granted sanction to prosecute RJD chief and former Union minister Lalu Prasad in the money laundering case linked to the alleged railways land-for-jobs scam, official sources said on Thursday. Murmu has accorded the permission as mandated under section 197(1) of the CrPC (Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023), they said. The case has been investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the federal probe agency chargesheeted the 76-year-old former Bihar linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were targeted, was still going and India would not hesitate to hit back hard if Pakistan chose to escalate the situation. In the initial strikes on nine locations, missiles and drones were used by India to target four sites of JeM, three of LeT and two of HuM. The Resistance Front, an offshoot of LeT had claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead. 4Contd on | Nation BLACKOUTS IN JAMMU T ensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply late Thursday night as Pakistan launched a coordinated assault targeting multiple Indian military installations in the northern and western regions of the country. The attack, carried out using a combination of missiles and drones, was met with a robust defensive response from the Indian armed forces. According to the Defence Ministry, Indian air defence systems—including the S-400 and integrated Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)— intercepted the majority of incoming threats. The primary focus of the Pakistani offensive was the Sunjwan Army Camp in Jammu. 4Contd on | Nation prosecute Lalu NEW DELHI 4Contd on | Nation Op Sindoor ongoing, Rajnath tells Oppn SC upholds right of judicial review Sanction given to MUMBAI hai,” a source said. Reports say flames engulfed the Karachi port. People in coastal areas fled towards inland regions. Karachi and Ormara are home to major Pak naval bases. The facilities reportedly house warships, submarines and military headquarters. “INS Vikrant se Pakistan ke Karachi aur Ormara bandargah par kai missilein daagi gayi hain. Jisse dono port par bhayankar aag lag gayi hai,” said a defence official. With the Navy’s assault, the ports are believed to be heavily damaged. The extent of destruction could weaken Pakistan’s maritime defence capabilities. “INS Vikrant ne in dono Navy base(s) ko barbaad karke chief minister, his son and former deputy CM of the state, Tejashwi Yadav and other family members in August last year. Before this, in January 2024, the ED had filed its first chargesheet against an alleged associate of the Prasad family, Amit Katyal, and other family members of Prasad, including his wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, MP daughter Misa Bharti, another daughter Hema Yadav and two associated companies -- A K Infosystems Private Limited and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd. A special PMLA court in Delhi has taken cognisance of both these chargesheets (prosecution complaints). The case stems from a CBI FIR alleging that Prasad, the then Union Railway Minister, indulged in "corruption" in the appointment of Group D substitutes in the Indian Railways during 2004-2009. The candidates or their family members were allegedly told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in the Railways, according to the CBI FIR. These land parcels were directly or indirectly registered in the name of the family members of Lalu Prasad. The CBI has also filed three chargesheets in this case. American is Pope Leo XIV AP VATICAN CITY Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new Pope, becoming the first North American to ascend to the papacy—a historic and symbolic shift in Catholic leadership. A Chicago-born Augustinian with deep missionary roots, Prevost brings global experience and diplomatic finesse to the Vatican.He will take the name Leo XIV. Though not seen as a frontrunner, his three decades in Peru, fluency in several languages, and tenure as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops made him a bridge between continents. "He’s one of the least ‘American’ American cardinals," said a Vatican insider, highlighting his unique appeal in a polarized world, particularly during the Trump era. Prevost now leads 1.4 billion Catholics, delivering his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from St Peter’s Basilica. He is known for humility and sharp intellect.