FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLII No. 4 | INDORE | THURSDAY | JUNE 12, 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 Bhutia slams AIFF’s USD 50,000 bonus offer P.12 PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Demographic conundrum P.6 DEAL WITH CHINA DONE: Trump’s big announcement Cinema “There are no bad industries... P.14 BLOODY HONEYMOON | Confession, made during SIT interrogation, offers a disturbing insight into what police now believe was a premeditated crime masked as a romantic getaway Social security net swells to 64.3%, covers 94 crore I ‘KILLED’ RAJA, Ranked 2nd by ILO after 45 percentage point jump in 10 years Our Staff Reporter GENEVA CONFESSES SONAM BUT FIGHTS WITH RAJ OVER MASTER-MIND INDORE Sonam Raghuvanshi, a newlywed from Indore, has confessed to plotting and executing her husband Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder, said Meghalaya DIG Davis Marak. The confession, made during SIT interrogation, is not legally admissible unless recorded before a magistrate, but it offers a disturbing insight into what police now believe was a premeditated crime masked as a romantic getaway. The DIG said that all the accused have confessed to the crime. However, Sonam and Raj were naming each other as master-mind of the crime. He further said that the three hired killers said that Sonam not only helped them commit the crime but also helped them push Raja into the gorge. The DIG said Sonam admitted she planned the murder in Indore and roped in her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha along with three childhood friends — Akash Rajput, Vishal Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi — as hired accomplices. Raj stayed put in Indore to avoid suspicion and acted as a conduit between the killer trio and Sonam. The rest headed to Shillong through different route to avoid raising any suspicion. However, CCTV footage, train tickets, and Aadhaar details gave them away. On May 23, the killers joined the couple on a less-travelled trekking route near the Double fp Briefs BEIJING/WASHINGTON Deal with China is done: Trump US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that a deal with China "is done" after two days of talks in London, marking a turnaround in the trade war between the two major economies. WASHINGTON Musk backs off from feud Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday backed off from feud with US President Donald Trump, saying he regrets social media posts that 'went too far.' 100% SURE SHE DID IT, HANG HER IF GUILTY: BROTHER The brother of Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is among the five held for her Indore-based husband Raja Raghuvanshi's murder, on Wednesday said that as per the evidence emerged so far he knew "100 per cent" that it was his sister who executed the crime, and she should be hanged if found guilty. "I do not know whether my sister Sonam has confessed her crime in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case or not, but from the evidence that is coming out, I know 100 per cent that she is the one who executed this crime," he said. FAMILY DISOWNS SONAM Govind Raghuvanshi, brother of Sonam Raghuvanshi, consoles Raja’s mother Uma Raghuvanshi during a visit at latter’s residence, in Indore on Wednesday Govind Raghuvanshi said that his family has snapped ties with Sonam after her alleged involvement in killing of Raja In 8-day police custody Cops may bring Sonam to Indore A Meghalaya court on Wednesday sent all five accused in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, including the victim's wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, to eight days' police custody. The accused were produced before the district and session court in Shillong The Meghalaya police are likely to bring Sonam Raghuvanshi, prime accused in her husband Raja Raghuvanshi's murder case, to her hometown Indore over the next few days where the conspiracy of the crime was hatched, a police official said Decker Living Root Bridge. A local guide, Albert Pde, later confirmed seeing them together and noted they spoke in Hindi. He had offered help, but they declined and insisted on taking the rougher trail. According to investigators, Sonam used the pretext of a scenic photo spot to lure Raja toward a gorge. When he hesitated, one of the assailants struck him with a sharp weapon, and the group, including Sonam, pushed him to his death. All five accused were taken to Shillong and presented in court. What began as a journey of love ended in betrayal, leaving behind grieving families — and a confession echoing through the misty forests where Raja’s life was taken. (See PG-2) Booster leak puts off SpaceX launch US official dodges query on Pakistan Agencies WASHINGTON IANS & PTI 4Continued on | P8 Despite India's repeated dismissal of external involvement in the bilateral Kashmir dispute, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce raked it up, saying that it wouldn't be a surprise if US President Donald Trump tried to mediate. A reporter asked Bruce whether Pakistan had given any assurances that it would take action against terrorists when its delegation led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met with Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker recently. She said tersely, "I am not going to discuss the details of those conversations". Asked about Trump's offer to mediate between India and Sachin Sharma INDORE The mystery surrounding the chilling murder of Raja Raghuvanshi on Wednesday took a new twist further deepening mystery. The police have uncovered a financial trail leading to a suspected shadowy hawala network with Sonam Raghuvanshi at the centre. While scurrying through Sonam’s bank activity, Indore police stumbled upon four bank accounts in the name of her maternal aunt’s son Jitendra Raghuvanshi. These accounts — one current and three savings — have raised police interest. These accounts have Sonam’s mobile number Even transactions point toward her direct involvement. The cops doubt that these accounts were used for hawala transfers. Although police haven’t officially confirmed the hawala angle, the threads are tightening. Sonam’s brother Govind tried to clear the air, telling reporters that the accounts were indeed in Jitendra’s name — a Dewas resident and factory employee — and were used only for factory transactions since Jitendra wasn’t educated enough to handle them himself. But then, another layer peeled away. DGP orders transfer of cops posted at same police stn for 5yrs Our Staff Reporter WASHINGTON: The Axiom4 mission which inc l u d e s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, has been delayed due to a technical snag in SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket. SpaceX announced that it was "standing down" from the Falcon-9 launch to allow time for repairs after a poststatic inspection of the rocket's boosters identified a liquid oxygen leak. "Standing down from tomorrow's Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the @Space_Station to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. Once complete and pending Range availability - we will share a new launch date.” SpaceX said in a post on X. The liquid oxygen leak was detected in the propulsion bay during a seven-second hot test on the launch pad. The hot test was to validate the performance of the booster stage of Falcon9 launch vehicle. Jitendra: Sonam’s hawala gateway While I can't speak to his plans, the world knows his nature, and I can't speak to any details of what he might have in that regard (on the possibility of Trump mediating on Kashmir). You can call the White House. I have a feeling they would have plenty to say. Tammy Bruce US State Dept spokesperson Pakistan, Bruce said, "Obviously, I can't speak to what's on the mind or the plans of the president". BHOPAL In a bid to improve efficiency and curb internal influence, Director General of Police (DGP) has directed all Superintendents of Police, including the Commissioners of Police in Bhopal and Indore, to transfer personnel who have completed five years at the same police station. New guidelines l Personnel posted at one police station for 5+ years must be transferred l No reappointment at the same post or station for 3 years l Max tenure in one subdivision: 10 years (constable to sub-inspector) l Final report on implementation due to PHQ by June 16 4Continued on | P8 US invites Pak army chief Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir is scheduled to visit Washington, DC on June 12 to attend the US Army Day celebrations on June 14, marking the 250th anniversary of the American military reported News 18. While officially ceremonial, the visit carries significant geopolitical weight. US officials are expected to press Pakistan to act against terror groups targeting Afghanistan and India. Munir’s presence is being watched closely amid concerns over Islamabad’s close ties with China through the CPEC and BRI projects. offgrid Officials said on Wednesday that the directive is part of efforts to bring greater accountability and transparency to policing. Personnel posted at one police station for extended periods tend to manipulate systems and dominate other staff, prompting the DGP to act. 4Continued on | P8 ‘Jab tak nahi milta nyay, tab tak ubalti rahegi chai’ Unique protest against domestic violence case Pankaj Malik NEEMUCH A man from Neemuch district has opened a tea shop 498A Tea Cafe - at his wife's village in Rajasthan to protest against what he calls false do- mestic violence charges. Initially, after charges were levelled against him, Krishna Kumar Dhakad (KK) of Jawad thought of committing suicide. But then he decided to fight it out and prove his point. KK married a woman from Athana, Rajasthan, in 2018. Both learned beekeeping and started a honey business there. The couple employed many women, promoting women's empowerment. In April 2021, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated their beekeeping business, praising their work. The business grew rapidly and there was good demand for their honey across the region. KK registered the firm in his wife's name to encourage her independence. He was also preparing for UPSC exams alongside running the business. However, in October 2022, KK's wife suddenly returned to her parents' home in Athana and never came back. A few months later, she filed cases under Section 498A for domestic violence and dowry harassment, plus Section 125 for maintenance. 4Continued on | P8 After Raja’s murder, Sonam reportedly fled to Indore and sought shelter at her aunt Rama’s home in Dewas. However, Rama denied it outright. “Sonam hasn’t visited us in years,” she told Free Press, adding that her son Jitendra now rents a home in Indore and hadn’t been back to Dewas in over five months. Rama claimed Sonam opened the accounts using Jitendra’s documents with his full knowledge. A deeper connection between Sonam and her alleged lover Raj Kushwah had surfaced on Tuesday. During interrogation, Raj had reportedly confessed to running a hawala racket on Sonam’s behalf. He told the interrogators that he not only managed the accounts but also deposited money in them. This gave him access not just to Sonam’s business dealings, but allegedly to her room too. Over time, their professional interactions reportedly evolved into a personal relationship. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, had confirmed these details on Tuesday.   As these bank accounts were not used by the firm it seems that they were used for hawala transactions. However, the police are investigating the case to know the transaction details. IANS India has achieved a historic milestone in recording a 45 percentage point jump in the social security coverage of its population over the last decade to cover 94 crore people and is now being ranked second in the world on the dashboard of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). According to the latest ILO data, India's social security coverage has increased from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, an unprecedented 45 percentage point surge over the past decade. ILO has acknowledged India's achievement and officially published on its dashboard that 64.3 per cent of India's population, i.e. over 94 crore people, are now covered under at least one social protection benefit. Director General ILO praised India's focussed welfare policies for the poor and labour class under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. ILO's Criteria for Scheme Consideration for each country include that the scheme should be legislatively backed, in cash and be active, and verified time series data of last three years has to be provided. While holding a bilateral discussion with the Director General, ILO, Gilbert F. Houngbo on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference (ILC), India's Minister of Labour and Employment, Cong expels Diggy’s brother Lakshman Action taken for statements against Rahul Mansukh Mandaviya, Labour and Employment minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the pro-poor and labour welfare schemes undertaken by the Modi Government over the past 11 years. The Minister also apprised DG ILO about the national-level Social Protection Data Pooling Exercise that has been carried out by the Government in collaboration with the ILO. 4Continued on | P8 Aadhaar card authentication must for tatkal tickets from July 1 PTI NEW DELHI Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Congress expelled former chief minister Digvijaya Singh’s brother, Lakshman Singh, from the party for six years on Wednesday. Singh made statements against the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, party MP Priyanka Gandhi, her husband Robert Wadra and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Singh said Omar was in collusion with Pakistan and advised Rahul Gandhi to speak with caution. A member of the Congress’s disciplinary committee, Tariq Anwar, issued a notice to Singh expelling him from the party. After Singh’s statement, the party issued a notice, seeking a reply from him within ten days. Because the party leaders were not satisfied with Singh’s reply, they expelled him from This remarkable achievement stands as a testament to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the relentless efforts of the Government in building an inclusive and rights-based social protection ecosystem the organisation. Singh was an MP from the Congress as well as from the BJP from the Rajgarh constituency. He was also an MLA from the Chachoura constituency. Singh switched over to the BJP after the party formed a government in 2003. He, however, returned to his parent organisation. Singh continued to issue anti-party statements after the Congress lost the 2023 assembly election. He made several posts on social media, which were against the Congress. Reacting to Singh’s expulsion from the Congress, BJP’s state unit president VD Sharma said it was the party’s internal affair, but Singh always showed a mirror to the party. Those who speak the truth in the Congress face such problems, he said. Only Aadhar authenticated users will be able to book tickets under the Tatkal scheme from July 1, 2025, onwards, the Railway Ministry said in an announcement. In a circular dated June 10, 2025, the ministry informed all zones that this decision was made "to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users." "With effect from 01-072025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users," the ministry said. Subsequently, Aadhaarbased OTP authentication shall also be made compulsory for Tatkal ticket bookings from July 15, 2025, onwards. 4Continued on | P8 Why did Osama feel safe in Pak: EAM warns West of terror threat PTI BRUSSELS External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the recent confrontation between India and Pakistan was not just a mere conflict between two neighbours, but it was about combating terrorism, which will eventually come back to haunt the West. Jaishankar, in an interview with the European news website 'Euractiv' Wednesday, also pitched for an EU-India free trade, underlining that India a nation of 1.4 billion - offers skilled labour and a more trustworthy economic partnership than China. "Let me remind you of something - there was a man named Osama bin Laden. Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town, right next to their equivalent of West Point?" Jaishankar, who is travelling to Europe a month after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam attack, told Euractiv. He was replying to a question on the recent four-day conflict between India and Pakistan. "I want the world to understand - this isn't merely an IndiaPakistan issue. It's about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you," he said. 4Continued on | P8