FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 359 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | JUNE 12, 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 UJJAIN WORLD Sports Bhutia slams AIFF’s USD 50,000 bonus offer P.12 PUNE INDORE 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 I ‘KILLED’ RAJA... Sonam confesses before cops but names Raj as mastermind, latter dithers 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. Our Staff Reporter INDORE Sonam Raghuvanshi, a newlywed from Indore, has confessed to plotting and executing her husband Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder, said sources in SIT. 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. Sources say 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. 4Continued on | P8 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.' NEW YORK Munir invited for US Army Day Pakistan’s chief of army staff General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah is scheduled to visit Washington DC, for the US Army Day celebrations on June 14. 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 8-day police custody of Sonam & aides Crime scene to be reconstructed 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 An SIT of the Meghalaya Police brought here around midnight Sonam Raghuvanshi, one of the five accused in the murder of her Indore-based businessman husband , and would reconstruct the crime scene in Sohra, a senior officer said on Wednesday. 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 Axiom-4 Mission postponed due to technical issue Why did Osama feel safe in Pak, asks EAM Agencies PTI NEW DELHI BRUSSELS Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday informed that the launch of Axiom-4, carrying Indian astronaut Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed due to a technical issue. In a post on X, Singh stated, "Mission Update | Axiom-04 The launch of Axiom Mission 4, carrying India's astronaut Shukla to the ISS, is postponed. A liquid oxygen (LOX) leak was detected during a 7-second hot test of Falcon 9's booster. After a joint review by ISRO, Axiom & SpaceX teams, it was decided to rectify the issue & revalidate before liftoff. Safety. Precision. Commitment to excellence." 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 some- thing - 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 India-Pakistan issue. It's about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you," he said. 4Continued on | P8 35-year-old divorced woman demands to marry 17-yr-old, held FP News Service RATLAM A 35-year-old woman has been arrested for sexually exploiting a 17-year-old boy and pressuring him to marry. According to information, the incident unfolded late Monday night when the woman, identified as Anjum of Subhash Nagar, staged a protest at the minor's home, demanding to marry him. Despite long hours of persuasion by boy’s family members, Anjum created a ruckus. The cops reached the Anjum has married twice and is divorced. Her first husband was a 15-year-old boy, with whom she has a daughter and a son spot and managed to send her to One Stop Centre. Later on Tuesday, the minor's father filed a complaint against the woman. In the FIR, a case was registered against the woman under several sections, including POCSO Act. It is alleged that the woman was physically exploiting the minor for a year by threatening him. The police arrested the woman and presented her in court from where she was sent to jail. The minor's father told in the FIR that the woman had lured his son and had sexually exploited him and also threatened to kill him if he broke off. Reports revealed that the woman used to call the boy home repeatedly and threatened to kill him if he didn't marry her. 4Continued on | P8 offgrid Jitendra: Sonam’s hawala gateway 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 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 4Continued on | P8 Coverage up 64.3% since 2014 IANS GENEVA 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 Our Staff Reporter 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. 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. As per instructions, any officer or employee who has completed five years at one police station must be shifted. They must not be reappointed to the same post or police station for at least three years. 4Continued on | P8 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 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, Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the pro-poor and labour welfare schemes undertaken by the Modi Government over the past 11 years. 4Continued on | P8 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. statements against Rahul 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 Director General ILO praised India's focussed welfare policies for the poor and labour class under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership Criteria for consideration DGP orders Cong expels Diggy’s transfer of cops posted at same brother Lakshman police station Action taken for for 5 years ‘Jab tak nahi milta nyay, tab tak ubalti rahegi chai’ Unique protest against domestic violence case since Jitendra wasn’t educated enough to handle them himself. But then, another layer peeled away. 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. India ranked 2nd in social security coverage: ILO 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 Aadhaar 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 Woman gives sex pills to 74-yr-old retired teacher, blackmails him Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL A 35-year-old woman gave sex drive pills to 74-year-old retired government school teacher, shot her obscene photographs with him and forced the aged man to marry her. The woman and her paramour then blackmailed the retired teacher to transfer cash, vehicle and plot of land in her name. On the complaint of the retired teacher, Nishatpura police registered an FIR against the woman and her paramour on Tuesday night. According to reports, Guna district resident Rafiq Ahmad’s wife died several years ago and he used to live alone due to some differences with his children. Rafiq met Haseena Bi (35) at a STARTLING ACT Investigating officer ASI Satendra Chaubey said Haseena married two other persons before he married the aged man and had a daughter from her first husband. She pretended to marry the aged man even as she was yet to divorce her second husband. She even had differences with her paramour Farhan who was not ready to harass the aged man further. A case has been registered against the duo and further action will soon be taken, he added. relative’s house who offered to take care of him. Haseena lured Rafiq and called her to her rented house in Karond. It is alleged that Haseena gave pills to Rafiq and indulged in obscene acts with him while her paramour Farhan shot videos. In his complaint, the aged man stated that Haseena then blackmailed him through the obscene videos while forcing him to marry her and give her Rs 8 lakh as ‘meher’ (an amount give to bride at the time of marriage). The elderly man was then pressurised to transfer his car in woman’s name and even purchase a plot of land. Moreover, the duo also transferred cash from his bank account frequently. The retired teacher claimed that the duo duped him of cash and property worth Rs 25 lakh and the turned him out of the house.