Saturday, July 5, 2025 | 36 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 Vol. 68 No. 234 | 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) NATION Vijay to be TVK's CM candidate for 2026 TN poll, says no alliance with BJP GAMES OPERATION SINDOOR | Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul Singh recounts how a potential full-scale war was averted ‘ONE BORDER, 3 ADVERSARIES’ Agencies NEW DELHI War is easy to initiate, but it's very difficult to control. So I would say that was a very masterly stroke that was played to stop the war at an appropriate time. Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Briefs Bombay HC to go live Starting July 7, the Bombay High Court and its benches will begin live streaming court proceedings, marking a major step towards enhancing transparency and public access to the justice system. The decision follows a full court resolution passed last month. Live streaming will be subject to the consent of the presiding judge. In multijudge benches, all members must agree before a proceeding can be streamed. “Remote-control device shall be provided to the presiding judge on the bench to pause or stop the live streaming at any time,” the notification read. SEE CITY Chemical weapons Dutch and German intelligence agencies have gathered evidence of widespread Russian use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, including dropping a choking agent from drones to drive soldiers out of trenches so they can be shot. Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency confirmed the findings, saying it had obtained the evidence alongside its Dutch counterparts, Reuters reported. ‘Herald case strange’ Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's senior counsel on Friday argued that Enforcement Directorate's National Herald case was "truly a strange" one. Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that it was "More than strange. Unprecedented. This is an alleged case of money laundering, without any property, without use or projection of property." SEE NATION Operation Sindoor was a turning point in modern Indian military strategy, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance) Lt General Rahul R Singh said on Friday, describing it as a "masterly stroke" that stopped a potential war at the right time. Speaking at the 'New Age Military Technologies' event organised by FICCI, the senior Army officer revealed that the operation showed how India can deliver a swift and decisive blow while staying ahead in the escalation ladder. Calling the conflict a live demonstration of modern warfare, Lt Gen Singh said Operation Sindoor brought out critical lessons for India’s future defence preparedness. He noted that the battlefield was “one border, three adversaries” with Pakistan on the front, China providing full-scale support, and Turkey involved through drone support. “It was like a live lab for China to test weapons,” he remarked. He said Pakistan had 81 per cent Chinese military hard- ware and also had real-time updates on Indian strategic vectors, thanks to China. He warned that India must be prepared for more such scenarios. “Air defence and how it panned out during the entire operation was important. Our population centres were not quite addressed this time, but next time, we need to be prepared for that.” The Deputy COAS made it clear that India cannot afford to absorb pain like before. “There is no scope of absorbing the pain the way we did a few years ago,” he stressed. China is a neighbour that will involve someone else rather than getting involved itself, he said. He also said that Beijing had extended every possible form of support to Pakistan to harm India. He referred to China’s ancient military strategy of the “36 stratagems” and the idea of killing the adversary with a “borrowed knife” to emphasise how China used Pakistan as a proxy to challenge India without getting directly involved. 4Contd on | nation Stop interfering in Tibet affairs: China Agencies BEIJING China has urged India to stop using Tibet issues to interfere in domestic affairs, again spelling out its stand on the succession of the Dalai Lama, the South China Morning Post reported. New Delhi reacted sharply. The Indian government does not take any position on matters regarding practices of faith and religion, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday. The Chinese comment was in response to remarks made by Kiren Rijuju, the Minority Affairs Minister who echoed remarks made by the Dalai Lama on the choosing of his successor which is in opposition to China’s long-held position that the succession should be in line with tradition and Chinese law. “We hope India can fully rec- LESSONS LEARNT ◗ Drone framework by September ◗ How Pakistan, China, Turkey ganged up ◗ 81 per cent of Pak weapons Chinese ◗ Live Lab for China to test weapons ◗ China used Pakistan as proxy SHAHI IDGAH HC junks plea to term mosque a ‘disputed structure’ IANS PRAYAGRAJ ognise the high sensitivity of issues related to Tibet, and clearly see the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama,” China’sforeign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. “India should honour its commitments on Tibet-related matters, exercise caution in word and deed, stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and avoid undermining the improvement and development of China-India relations.” The Allahabad High Court on Friday rejected a plea seeking to declare the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura as a disputed structure in the ongoing case related to the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah complex. The petition was filed by Mahendra Pratap Singh, President of the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nyas. The matter was heard by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, who had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Kedia turns to police for security S Balakrishnan MUMBAI The controversy over the use of Marathi language took a new turn on Friday with Sushil Kedia, a high-profile investor and mentor seeking police protection after he received threats from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). He had, through X, chal- Cinema Check out our verdict on OTT and film releases Shubman Gill drew inspiration from younger self during his recordbreaking innings of 269 lenged MNS chief Raj Thackeray and asserted that he will not learn Marathi. He said he has been in Mumbai for 30 years and did not know the state language. And since MNS cadres were assaulting shopkeepers for not speaking Marathi, Kedia said he will not learn the language as a protest against the MNS chief’s misconduct. “I dont know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai... with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take ‘pratigya’ I wont learn Marathi,” he averred. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | city Edit Emergency: A censorship on collective wisdom and wit ‘Sky is not the limit for New India’ FPJ News Service MUMBAI “For the new India, even the sky is not the limit!” Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in Trinidad and Tobago while addressing the Indian community. "An Indian astronaut is onboard the International Space Station as we speak. We are now working on a manned space mission, 'Gaganyaan'. Soon, an Indian will walk on the moon, and India will have its own space station," he said, while addressing the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago. FPJ News Service MUMBAI The capital market regulator has banned the New York-based trading firm Jane Street from the Indian securities market for allegedly manipulating stock indices through positions taken in the derivatives segment. According to an interim order issued by the Sebi on July 3, 2025, Jane Street Group made profits of Rs 43,289.33 crore in index and stock options. It said JS Group was undertaking “an intentional, well-planned, and sinister scheme” and artifice to manipulate cash and futures Animated musical KPop Demon Hunters spawns chart-busting hits, outshining real K-pop idols. A smash-hit K-pop animated musical has propelled its fictional bands into the realworld music charts, landing top 10 spots and challenging the dominance of actual Kpop superstars. The animated K-pop musical has taken both the entertainment and music worlds by storm. KPop Demon Hunters, an actionpacked Netflix original, has become the platform's mostwatched film globally, racking up over 33 million views in just two weeks. But it’s not just the movie that’s drawing crowds—the fictional bands featured in the film are dominating realworld music charts. The Saja Boys, a boy band in markets, and hence manipulate the Bank Nifty index (bank stocks) level, to entice small investors to trade at unfavourable and misleading prices, and to the advantage of the Group. The decision to ban Jane Street’s access to securities markets came after a thorough investigation, and the regulator has directed it to disgorge unlawful gains of Rs 4,843 crore. Out of the 4 entities (JS Group) involved in this case, Jane Street Singapore and Jane Street Asia Trading are registered FPIs, incorporated in Singapore and Hong Kong, respectively. JSI Investments is incorporated in India (December 2020) is located in Mumbai. It was wholly-owned by Jane Street Europe, and incorporated in the UK. JSI2 Investments Private Ltd was incorporated in India (September 2024) and located in Mumbai. It was wholly owned by JSI Investments. The email sent by Jane Street to Sebi (August 30, 2024), and the letter to NSE (February 21, 2025) indicate that all group entities dealing in Indian markets act collectively, and are overseen by personnel based overseas.   4See also | money 4Contd on | nation St. George gets nod for liver transplants Amit Srivastava MUMBAI In a boost to affordable healthcare, the government-run St. George Hospital in Mumbai has received official approval to conduct liver transplants, becoming the first State-run hospital to do so. The Maharashtra Health Department granted the license on Wednesday. The hospital had applied for the liver transplant license in August 2024. 4Contd on | nation India moots counter duties against US PTI NEW DELHI India on Friday proposed imposing retaliatory duties under the WTO (World Trade Organisation) norms against the US over American tariffs on automobile sector in the name of safeguard measures. "The proposed suspension of concessions or other obligations would take the form of an increase in tariffs on selected products originating in the United States," according to a no- BCCI TOLD TO CALL OFF B’DESH TOUR Commerce and industries minister Piyush Goyal said India will not sign any trade deal with any country under a strict deadline. He emphasised that India negotiates on its own terms. SEE P11 tification of the WTO being circulated at the request of India. India has notified the WTO's Council for Trade in Goods of its proposed suspension of concessions and other obligations under certain WTO provisions. ANI Agencies NEW DELHI The India tour of Bangladesh, scheduled to take place in August, is likely to be cancelled because of the situation prevailing in the country over the last few months, as per sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). India is supposed to play a three-match ODI series from August 17, followed by a three T20 matches from August 26. A BCCI source said, "Thetour is likely to be called off as the government has advised BCCI not to go there as the situation is not OK. An official announcement will come soon." India’s aviation regulator warned Air India Express in March for failing to replace engine parts on time in an Airbus A320, as mandated by European aviation safety authorities, and for altering records to show false compliance, according to a government memo seen by Reuters. The issue involved a CFM LEAP-1A engine on aircraft VT-ATD, which flies both domestic and international routes. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had issued an airworthiness directive in 2023, warning of a “potential unsafe condition” 4Contd on | nation the movie, scored a major milestone with Your Idol, which surged to No. 2 on Spotify's US chart. In doing so, they outperformed even BTS, setting a new record for the highest-charting male K-pop group on US Spotify. Meanwhile, the film's girl group Huntr/x matched Blackpink’s record as the highest-charting female K-pop act with Golden, which climbed to No. 3. 4Contd on | nation "This notification is made in connection with safeguard measures extended by the United States of America on imports of automobile parts from India," it said. On March 26 this year, the US AI Express drew DGCA rap for engine fix delay NEW DELHI K-pop fiction tops real charts FPJ News Service grows. For New India, even the sky is not the limit. You all must have cheered when India's Chandrayaan landed on the moon. The place where it landed, we have named it Shiv Jane Street hits Dalal Street offgrid MUMBAI PM Modi also said that India is sharing the "fruit of its achievements with the rest of the world". "I am sure everyone among you feels proud when India Shakti point," the PM said. Modi was conferred with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the island nation's highest civilian honour on Friday. This marks the 25th international civilian award he has received so far. At a special dinner hosted by Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Modi was served a traditional meal on large green Sohari leaves. Sharing the experience on social media, Modi noted the leaf’s cultural significance for Trinidadians of Indian origin. and calling for the urgent replacement of engine seals and rotating parts. The directive said "this condition, if not corrected, could lead to failure of affected parts, possibly resulting in high energy debris release, with damage to, and reduced control of, the aeroplane." The memo said that action "was not taken within the prescribed time limit" and that "In order to show that the work has been carried out within the prescribed limits, the AMOS records have apparently been altered/forged." It referred to the software used by airlines for maintenance and airworthiness. 4Contd on | nation adopted a safeguard measure in the form of a tariff increase of 25 per cent ad valorem on imports of passenger vehicles and light trucks, and on certain automobile parts from India. These measures apply from May 3, 2025 as regards automobile parts, and for an unlimited duration. The measures have not been notified by the United States to the WTO, but are, in essence, safeguard measures. 4Contd on | nation SETBACK FOR SAIF OVER INHERITANCE FPJ News Service MUMBAI In a twist worthy of a Bollywood drama, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has reopened the high-stakes inheritance battle over the royal assets of the erstwhile Bhopal princely state, dealing a legal setback to actor Saif Ali Khan and his family. The court on June 30 overturned a trial court order that had recognised Saif and his immediate kin as rightful heirs to ancestral properties estimated to be worth over ₹15,000 crore. 4Contd on | nation CJI Gavai revisits school roots Dhairya Gajara MUMBAI Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai relived his school days on Friday during an emotional visit to his alma mater, Holy Name High School in Colaba. Addressing students, he emphasised the importance of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, while expressing deep gratitude to his school for instilling in him the values of equality and secularism. Tucked away in the bylanes of Wodehouse Road, Colaba— Hero’s welcome for CJI at Holy Name High School, Colaba. home to two of Mumbai’s oldest convent schools—Holy Name High School came alive with celebration as it welcomed its most distinguished alumnus. For the school, this was its most iconic day since 1939, as Gavai returned for the first time since graduating in 1976. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | city